An Unexpected Life
by gilesc3
Summary: Oliver Queen left more than he knew when he stepped foot on the Queen's Gambit. Follow as Felicity has to deal with the consequences of their night together and everything that comes with it. She had no idea just how much her life was going to change, all do to one tipsy night. Will be slow burn to Olicity.
1. Prologue

**AN: Okay, so I've had this idea for a while and thought I'd just give it a shot. The first few chapters of this takes place while Oliver is on the island and is Felicity centric. Let me know what you think. And I wasn't sure when exactly the yacht sank, so I just made it up to fit my story.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Arrow.**

Chapter 1: Unexpected Consequences

_(July 2007)_

Felicity shook her hips to the music that was blaring out of her speakers as she finally unpacked her suitcase. She'd been home from college for almost a month now but hadn't gotten around to it; she'd been so busy reconnecting with her friends and using her newly learned computer skills to update her parent's system.

Of course, it didn't need much work, as she'd built the computers herself and had kept them maintained since she was sixteen; but the advancement in technology was lightning fast and she wanted them to be up-to-date. Not that they really cared that much, as his mother was a neurosurgeon and her father was a professor at the University of Coast City. Not that she was bragging or anything. They just were that awesome.

She was startled out of her daze when her phone started ringing, the noise clashing horribly with _Smack That_. Hanging the shirt she'd been holding, the blonde quickly muted her stereo and scooped up her phone, pressing the talk button before it could go to voicemail.

"Hello?"

"Quick Izzy, you need to turn on the news!"

"Robin? What's wrong?" Felicity demanded, her mind whirling with the possibilities. Had her parents been in a car accident? Was she going to see them on the six o'clock news? Were their bodies trapped under burning metal?

"Felicity! Are you listening to me?" Robin demanded when the silence stretched out, the only sound that of her friend's suddenly rapid breathing.

"Right." Felicity shook her head to clear it of the horrific images and grabbed her tv remote and brought up the local news channel, her eyes widening as she recognized one of the men on the screen.

"_The area the ship was thought to have wrecked is being searched thoroughly, but so far there have been no signs of life found. The Queen's Gambit set out last week and went offline yesterday afternoon; there has been no response from the captain, Mr. Queen or his son, Oliver. The search will continue in the hopes of finding survivors." _

"That's…that's the guy I—" She couldn't finish the sentence, her cheeks warming at the reminder that she'd actually brought him back to her apartment that night.

"That's what I thought! Can you believe you slept with a billionaire?" Robin's voice had gone high, her excitement over this new development clear. The blonde rolled her eyes and shut off her television, not wanting to see the pictures of Oliver and his dad, who'd apparently been lost at sea.

"I had no idea; I definitely wouldn't have let you guys talk me into leaving with him if I had. I feel so bad for his family." She said sadly, her heart heavy, even though she didn't know Oliver. Like at all. They'd drank, they'd danced, and then they'd gone back to her place. He'd been gone when she'd woken up and she hadn't really thought much about that night since. Apparently she should've paid more attention to the tabloids.

"Yeah, it must really suck. But how cool is it that you actually slept with Oliver Queen? I mean, the girls are going to go crazy over this." Felicity gave a sigh, knowing there was no stopping Robin when she got a piece of gossip.

While she was more reserved and often buried in her studies, her childhood friend was always on the lookout for juicy gossip; it was really a wonder they'd actually been able to be friends for so long. But the two often said that they complemented each other; where Robin was loud and outspoken, Felicity was quiet and awkward, often times blurting out more than she ever meant to say; Robin was always up for a party, while Felicity only went out when her arm was twisted.

"It's not really something I think is that important, Robin. I mean, he's lost at sea! I really don't think we should be spreading this around. What if someone told the press? I do not want to be the girl that slept with Oliver Queen right before he died!"

"Ok ok, it'll stay between us. I promise." Her friend gave in once she heard the panic in Felicity's voice, knowing she was probably on the verge of freaking out. She loved a good story, but not at the expense of her bestie. Besides, it wasn't like anything would come of it. Not with the man presumed dead in the middle of the ocean.

"I need to finish unpacking. I'll call you tomorrow."

"Love you Izzy."

"Love you too." The two hung up, Felicity sighing as she tossed her phone onto her bed.

She didn't know why she felt so down now, but her previous chipper mood was gone; all she could think about was that she'd been with someone mere weeks before they…before they died. It was a shocking and creepy thought.

Shaking her head, she unmuted her stereo and got back to work, trying not to think of anything but what she planned to do tomorrow. It was summer break and she just wanted to enjoy herself after the stress of the second year at MIT.

/*/

_(August 2007)_

"I cannot believe this is happening." Felicity said, pacing in front of the couch, her parents' eyes following her.

"Well, when a man and a woman—"

"Really?" The blonde arched an irritated brow at the older version of herself, making Charlotte Smoak smother a laugh as she started pacing again.

"I was supposed to finish school and have a career. I'm not ready for this." Felicity wrapped her arms around herself, trying to hold herself together as all she really wanted to do was freak out. But by pressing her arms to her body, she could feel the hardening swell of her stomach, making her jerk her arms away in haste.

"There's nothing stopping you for achieving both of those things, Lissy. Just look at your mother and me. We had you when we were young without it causing any catastrophe." Steven commented with a smile.

"You were both in your mid-20s! I think this is a little different. I'm not even 20 yet!" Felicity remarked, thumb finding its way to her mouth so she could gnaw on the short nail.

"Honey, you're already set to graduate early, so you're already a head of your class. If you chose to keep the child to term, you'll simply have to work a little harder to finish your courses by March. But if you don't, then that's fine as well. We'll support you, no matter what you choose." Charlotte said, reaching out to grip her daughter's arm lightly. While they did pride themselves of being part of the Jewish faith, they did not follow the teachings strictly; if Felicity chose to terminate the pregnancy, they would not turn her out.

"I just…I can't believe this happened." She said sadly, plopping down next to her dad. He reached around her and wrapped her up against his side, her head finding its place on his shoulder, as if she were a child again.

"Do you know who the father is?" He asked quietly, not wanting to offend her. But neither of them had known she'd even been seeing anyone, as her relationship with Andrew had ended on sour terms in April and they hadn't heard of anyone since.

"Yeah. It was…stupid. I feel so stupid."

"Hey, none of that. Accidents happen. I will not have you mad at yourself for simply being human." Charlotte said fiercely, reaching around her husband to give Felicity a light little swat that had the blonde rolling her eyes, but smiling anyway.

"So who's the father? If you decide to keep the baby, then he should be informed as well, as it's only fair. And if he doesn't want to be a part of your life, that's his loss."

"Dad, it's more complicated than that. Way more complicated." She mumbled, her eyes suddenly heavy. Before she'd gone to the doctor, she'd thought she had the flu or some other illness that was making her tired and sick; she'd come out with her entire world spinning on its axis and answers that made shocking sense.

"How so?" Steven asked as his hand stroked over her blonde curls, his instinct to protect his baby almost overwhelming.

"He…he died. Or at least they think he's dead. There was never a body found." Her parents shared a startled look.

"What happened?"

Felicity pulled away from her dad and looked down at her hands, which were unconsciously clasped on her stomach, which hadn't started protruding very much. But it was firm now, the fetus having pushed her organs to the side so the womb could grow properly. Or at least that's what she'd rad online after her visit to the doctor.

"It's been all over the news."

"Really?" Charlotte asked, confused; she didn't remember any reports on any one perishing in the city. Maybe she'd missed the broadcast.

"Yeah. I…it was a onetime thing and I was slightly drunk—"

"Lissy, we're not judging you." Her mom interrupted, knowing she was about to start rambling.

"Who was he?" Steven asked again, his curiosity piqued. Felicity sighed again before glancing up, wondering if her parents not judging her would change if they found out just who she'd slept with.

It wasn't like she was easy or anything. She'd just been celebrating getting through the first year of college and getting over a nasty break up and her friends had egged her on. Not that she could be pressured into anything; she was an adult and responsible for her own actions. Oliver had been easy on the eyes, especially after the shots he'd bought her, and she'd needed and itch scratched. And now she was paying for that indiscretion.

"Felicity?" Her eyes shot back to her mom's, her inner voice going quiet as Charlotte gave her the arched brow look that she knew meant she needed to start talking. Her mom could be scary when she wanted to be.

"I slept with Oliver Queen. Back in June, after the semester had ended. I went out with the girls and he was up here visiting and we met at the club. And one thing led to another. Not that I knew who he was, because I didn't. It's mortifying, but we didn't exchange last names." She blushed as she blurted out what'd happened; her face so hot she was surprised it didn't catch fire. But she'd always had an open and frank relationship with her parents and that hadn't changed; plus, if she tried to edit her words she'd end up saying more than either of them wanted to hear.

"The Oliver Queen? The one that was in that shipwreck?" Her dad asked in shock, getting a nod from the blonde.

"Well that…does change things." Her mother muttered as she leaned back against the couch.

"What should I do?"

"That's up to you, pumpkin. It's your life that's going to change. But we'll support you no matter what." Steven replied, squeezing her hand and giving her a smile.

"Should I…should I tell his family?"

"I don't think that'd be a good idea. At least not right now. They'd most likely think you were trying to get rich and famous off their loss. Let them mourn properly and then when the baby is born, if you decide to keep it, then you can tell them." Her mom said, receiving a nod of agreeance from her husband.

"Okay. I just…I need some time to think." She got off the couch, leaning down to give them both a kiss on the cheek before locking herself in her room.

Walking over to her mirror, Felicity pulled her blouse up, turning to the side so she could see the slight swell. She couldn't believe that one night of irresponsibility had actually led to such repercussions; it served her right for not staying true to her character.

But maybe this was just the course her life was supposed to take, as she was positive they'd used protection that night. And she liked to believe that things happened for a reason; maybe she was supposed to be a mother a lot sooner than she ever planned; maybe she was supposed to bring a piece of Oliver Queen into this world now that he was gone.

She didn't know the reasons, but as she stared at the small curve of her stomach that held her growing child, she knew there was no way she could cut that life short. While her parents were prepared to support her even if she did decide on abortion, she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she murdered the fetus.

Not that she judged other women who chose that path; it was their choice and she thought every woman should have the right to decide what happened to their bodies and life. No, she just knew that for her own personal life, she had to stay true to herself; and she couldn't terminate her pregnancy just because she wasn't prepared for it. She had seven months to get herself prepared.

/*/

_(August-September 2007)_

School started the next week and Felicity had to be thankful she'd wanted to graduate early already, as she was scheduled for eight classes that semester. It was going to be really tough, especially if this exhaustion didn't lift soon, but she was determined to get as ahead as possible. Like her parents said, there was no reason to let this new development get in the way of her life; it was simply another obstacle that she'd conquer.

Once she'd decided to keep her baby, she'd begun keeping an electronic baby book, as she knew if she tried to do it manually that she'd just end up with a half-finished book. And she wanted more than that for her kid; she didn't have anything of their father for them and didn't know if his family would accept her, so she wanted them to have something they could look at when they got older.

Felicity even went through the tabloids and picked out the best pictures of Oliver she could find, pasting them to the desired pages and writing up as much about him as she could find. Not that she thought him getting a D in 10th grade algebra was relevant, but it was something. But hopefully their child would take after her in the brains department; not that she wouldn't love her baby no matter what. Because of course she would; she already did, really.

It was a little surprising how quickly she'd come to accept the unexpected path her life had taken, but she figured it was better to be happy and deal than to be bitter and resent the fact that she'd accidently gotten pregnant. And sure, she wished the father was here to experience it with her, but she'd come to terms with knowing she'd be an only parent.

She just hated that her child wouldn't know their father; they wouldn't be able to go to Oliver for advice or help or anything. Hopefully his family would want to be a part of their lives; that they'd want to know Oliver's kid, even if it might be painful. But even if they didn't, Felicity swore her child would never feel unloved and she would do her very best to be enough for them.

/*/

_(October 2007)_

By midterms she thought she was going to go crazy with how much work she had to do to remain at the top of her class in every course. It wasn't enough for her to just do well in school; she'd graduated the valedictorian and gotten a full ride to MIT, and now she wanted to be just as successful in college as she had been in high school. But taking 8 classes at once was really something she'd not recommend to anyone, as it was brutal.

Thankfully her friends were there whenever she needed them; although none of them, aside from Robin, knew who'd impregnated her, as she refused to divulge that information. The man was already a victim of the unforgiving ocean, there was no need to drag his name through the mud by letting it be known he'd fathered a child before that fateful trip.

But they helped her whenever she needed it; rather it was a pampering day at their favorite spa or helping to organize their study sessions around her availability. Felicity was so thankful for them, as she doubted she'd have gotten through the semester without them; especially not when she'd started getting overly emotional about everything, from her changing body to the terrifying reality that she was going to be a mother. Her friends were priceless and she wouldn't trade them for the world.

/*/

_(December 2007)_

Felicity completed the fall semester with straight A's, even if they were harder to acquire than normal. She had to be thankful she was a genius with computers and had only struggled with the amount of work instead of the actual homework itself. But she'd made it through that and her first two trimesters, so she thought she was doing pretty well.

For the spring semester, she only signed up for four classes, all software development and programing ones, so even if she didn't finish the coursework by March, she could work from home. It most likely wouldn't be a problem though, as Felicity thought she'd most likely be able to fly through the classes and take the midterms by late January and the finals before her due date. Or at least that was the plan.

She moved back in with her parents at their insistence, which she also agreed with seeing as she didn't see the logic in paying for a one bedroom apartment when she'd probably be at home a lot after the baby was born anyway. Her family wasn't hurting for money or anything, but it was still smart to save when they could.

And she was able to transform the guest room that shared her bathroom into a nursery, which her mom said was really important to have. Apparently some parents got into the habit of letting the babies sleep with them in their bed or next to it, as it was easier in the beginning when they were constantly waking up, but it made it harder in the long run to set them up onto a schedule.

Felicity didn't know what type of mom she'd be yet, as experience would really be the only thing that made her a good one. So she took her own mother's advice and trusted that she knew what she was talking about, knowing that changes would come later on, once she'd gotten her feet under her and grew more confident in herself.

Because right now she was kinda freaking out. She only had a few more months before her child arrived and she still wasn't sure if she was ready. Before, it's just been about the planning and preparing; now the reality was looming in sight and it was terrifying.

All she could do was hope that the doubts and uncertainties that plagued her went away when she held her baby for the first time. She'd always been relatively good with kids, so hopefully that would translate into actually being a natural with her own kid. Fingers crossed.

/*/

_(March 2008)_

Felicity was studying with Carly and Robin in the library, the table laden with their laptops, books and notes, when she felt the sudden and embarrassing flood of wetness. She'd been feeling cramps for a few hours but thought she could get through the final that was later that day before going to the doctor, as the contractions weren't that painful and were separated by a large margin of time. She had no idea that her water would break when she was just sitting, reading about how to break through a framework and plant a bug without leaving a digital footprint.

Robin had started freaking out, much to the librarian's irritation, while Carly called for an ambulance, knowing they needed to get Felicity to a hospital soon. She didn't know anything about how quickly after the water broke that the baby would come, so the faster they got her to the maternity ward, the better.

After Felicity had slapped Robin and told her to calm down, to Carly's amusement, she'd asked her to go get the blonde's emergency bag that was in her car. Carly went to the bathroom and got paper towels to soak up the fluid on the plastic chair, trying not to think about it too much as it was gross.

Felicity took the bag and wobbled to the bathroom, Robin helping her to wipe herself down and slip into a pair of sweats. It wasn't the most attractive outfit, but they were comfortable and she'd be in a hospital gown soon anyway.

The small group had drawn a crowd when the two girls returned, the other students all wanting to know what was going on. Many of them knew Felicity and were excited about the new development, helping her to clean up her things while they waited for the paramedics. One of them even volunteered to get word to her professor so that they knew she wouldn't be able to make it to the exam.

Felicity was oddly calm during the entire ordeal, not letting herself panic, as that wouldn't help anything and might actually speed up her labor. And she did not want to deliver her child on the library floor, no matter how interesting of a story that might be to look back on. She wanted a clean, sterile environment that had doctors and anything and everything she might need in case there was any complication.

Thankfully, the paramedics arrived soon after that and rushed her to the hospital, Robin riding with her and Carly activating the phone tree, starting with her parents. The contractions were steadily getting more painful and the time between them was shortening, making Felicity send up a silent prayer they got to the hospital soon so she could get an epidural and numb some of the pain. She was so not okay with going through labor without the assistance; she did not have the pain tolerance level for that.

Felicity didn't know if it was because this was her first pregnancy or if she was just one of the lucky ones, as her labor only lasted a few hours after arriving at the hospital. It might have gone by quick in the eyes of the maternity ward, but it was the most excruciating pain she'd ever felt and she wasn't looking to repeat it any time soon. Like not for years and years.

But all that seemed to vanish when they placed her daughter in her hands, her heart filling with more love then she'd ever thought she could feel for one person. She was the most beautiful thing Felicity had ever seen; when her tiny hand had wrapped around her finger, the new mother had been goo. She swore to do everything in her power to give her daughter the best life possible and to protect her from anyone who would try to hurt her.

Marie Olivia Smoak was born at 5:16 on March 5, 2008 and Felicity's life was never going to be the same.

**AN: So, any good? Please let me know! REVIEW! Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 1

**AN: I wasn't going to post this so soon, as I still need to get the next chapter finished, but I felt like I needed to address something. I've been accused by a guest reviewer of stealing someone else's story: **_Why are you copying BeWhoYouAre99's story, Reunion? That is just plain rude. In her fic, the kid's name is Amelia Olivia Queen and she has 9 chapters written! It was published before YOURS. WOW. I'm disgusted and shall be dropping her a message on how YOU are copying her work. _

**I have never stolen someone else's work. To be accused of such as really upset me as it is completely ridiculous and upsetting. Even if my idea of a story is similar, that does not mean I'm copying someone else, as that wouldn't make me a very good writer. I pride myself on taking overdone story lines and doing something original and interesting with it. Just look at any of my stories, as it's pretty obvious; I did this for my Merlin story and my Vampire Diaries stories and haven't ever been accused of stealing from another writer. **

**I haven't read this BeWhoYouAre99's story, but I'm sure it's great and I wish them all the luck in finishing it, but any similarities in our stories are completely coincidental. To accuse me of plagiarizing someone else's writing is insulting. And if this reviewer was using the baby's name as proof, the reason her middle name is Olivia because it's the only name that is similar to Oliver and would pay tribute to him. **

**Any, thank you for those of you who read and liked the chapter. The next update won't be up before next week, but I hope you like this chapter and will leave a comment! Thanks so much.**

Chapter 1: Revelations

Felicity stared up at the large mansion, her stomach twisted in knots as she tried to build up the courage to actually ring the doorbell. She'd been standing there for what seemed like an eternity and still hadn't managed to raise her hand to the door, her throat tight in uncertainty as her heart pounded in her chest. Whatever happened beyond that door today would determine how Marie's life was shaped, and it was a terrifying thought.

It'd been two months since her daughter was born, two long months of all-nighters, colic, worry and fear; two months of waking up every morning to the most beautiful girl she'd ever seen. Even with the exhaustion she felt to her very bones, Felicity wouldn't change her life for the world; she knew how lucky she was to have such a precious gift that she loved unconditionally and wasn't tempted to even contemplate a different life now.

But just because she saw Marie for the treasure she was didn't mean the people beyond the threshold would. There was the very likely possibility they'd think she was lying and just trying to get money from them; that she was trying to make a profit off their loss. And as sickening as the mere thought was, she knew that it was most likely what was going to happen.

Nevertheless, she'd made a promise to her child that she'd do everything in her power to give her the best life she possibly could. And to her, that meant at least trying to connect with Oliver's family, to let them know he'd left behind a piece of himself. It was up to them rather they chose to be part of their lives or not; it was her duty as a mother to make sure they at least had the chance to make that decision.

Taking a deep breath to try and settle her nerves, the blonde finally brought her hand up, hating how it shook to press the doorbell. Stepping back, Felicity clutched her bag to her side and waited, trying not to let her nerves get to her. She couldn't show her fear. Marie was depending on her and she couldn't do any less than her very best, no matter how unnerved she might be.

The door was suddenly opening, revealing the curious face of an older woman wearing a servant's uniform.

"Can I help you?" The woman asked in an accented voice, reminding Felicity of the Russian exchange students she'd known back at university.

"Uh…yeah, um, I need to see Mrs. Queen?" She stuttered, tripping over her words.

"Mrs. Queen isn't seeing visitors." The woman replied and started to close the door, which Felicity stopped by slamming her hand against the thick wood.

"It's very important that I speak with her. I'm not going to leave here until I see Mrs. Queen, even if that means camping out in the lawn." Felicity said firmly, swallowing the jolt of fear down when the security man behind the servant moved forward threatening.

"I'm sorry Miss, but—"

"No, I'm not leaving until I see her. I made a promise to someone very important to me that I'd see Moira Queen and I'm not moving from this spot until that happens. No matter what." The two Queen employees exchanged a look before the woman turned back to the blonde.

"I will see if Mrs. Queen is willing to see you."

"Thank you." Felicity sighed as the servant moved away, eyes flicking up to the man in surprise when he came forward.

"I must search your person and belongings." Before she could protest, the man had grabbed her bag from her and was rifling through it. Pulling out the plastic bag she'd gotten from her doctor, Felicity surged forward and grabbed it before he could open it.

"Don't! It can't be opened or else they'll think I tampered with it." Felicity said angrily, her voice rising in irritation as she glared at the man.

"What is it?" He demanded, trying to wrench it from her hands to inspect, looking for any sign it may be an explosive.

"It's a DNA sample that cannot be opened by anyone but Moira Queen or her doctor. You can put it through a metal detector if you want to, but the seal cannot be broken." She huffed, making the man roll his eyes, which Felicity was used to. Most people found her off-putting and awkward, so it didn't faze her.

"And what, pray tell, would I need with a DNA sample?" The elegant voice of Mrs. Queen questioned as she came into view, the servant next to her. The woman was dressed in a pair of dress slacks and a dark blue blouse, blonde hair in an effortless styled curtain around her pinched face.

"Oh, um…Mrs. Queen—I..." Felicity shook her head and took a deep breath, trying to rein in her nervous babble before it could get started. She'd been anxious before, but now faced with Oliver's mother, she wasn't sure she was actually able to go through with this.

"Why don't we continue this in the front parlor?" Moira said, nodding to the maid before she walked away. The guard handed Felicity back her things before she followed, trying to get control of her quaking stomach the entire time.

Moira led them into a large sitting room that was furnished with deep woods and priceless antiques, the large fireplace the focal point in the room. The younger blonde gazed around in trepidation, afraid of knocking something over that was worth more than her parent's house.

"We'll take some tea, Raisa."

"Of course, Mrs. Queen." The servant gave a small nod before leaving to see to their refreshments.

"Why don't you have a seat, Ms—"

"Smoak. Felicity Smoak." She rushed to introduce herself, her blue eyes wide with uncertainty. Moira motioned for her to sit on one of the couches as she sat on the other one, her gaze scrutinizing the young woman.

"Uh, right. Yes. Thank you." Felicity blushed before sitting down, slowly relaxing her hold on her bag and the package she still held.

"So Ms. Smoak, what can I do for you? And you have a DNA sample?" The Queen matriarch questioned, crossing her legs as she peered at the girl with an arched brow. Felicity swallowed over the lump that'd formed in her throat, her fingers tightening on the container in question.

"I…I'm sorry to just ambush you like this Mrs. Queen, but I knew that if I didn't speak with you directly that I'd never get your attention. And I promised that I'd at least try to get you to hear me out so that you'd know and it would be up to you if you decided you wanted to believe me or not. I can't go back on my word, so that's why I'm here." Felicity rambled, her mouth moving almost too quickly for Moira to understand her.

"You still have not explained _why_ you're here or what it has to do with a DNA sample, Ms. Smoak."

"Right, sorry. I babble when I get nervous. Not that you make me nervous. I mean, you do. You're very intimidating. Not that that's a bad thing. A woman working in a male dominated corporate world should be intimidating. I'm studying computer technology and it's mainly made up of men, even at MIT, which you would assume would have more females in the field seeing as it's one of the best universities in the country. Not that other colleges don't offer just as prestigious degrees, because I'm sure they do. I—"

"Ms. Smoak?"

"Sorry." Felicity blushed and bit her jungle peach colored lip, hating that she couldn't get control of her mouth. She was not making a very good first impression.

"Okay, I should start at the beginning. I'm not trying to get money from you or anything, because I'm perfectly capable of providing for my child. I'm set to graduate with honors in December and already have offers from several corporations for after I finish school, so I am not in need of any financial help. But I know that when she gets older, Marie is going to wonder about her dad's side of the family and I won't have anything to tell her, since I really didn't know him.

"Not that I usually go home with a man after meeting at a club. It was just a night of celebration and one thing led to another, with consequences I never even imagined and definitely wasn't prepared for. And then to have to do it all alone because he's gone has been tough, but I don't regret it. I love Marie more than anything in this world and I'd do anything for her, which is why I'm here, as I promised I'd at least try to make contact with you." Felicity said quickly, reaching into her bag to pull out the picture of the two month old she'd brought with her.

"Are—are you trying to insinuate you had a child with…with my son?" Moira demanded, shoot off the couch in utter rage. How dare this woman come into her home and make such an allegation! As if she didn't have the daily reminder that her son and husband had been lost to her; now this stranger was here sprouting lies?

"I'm not insinuating anything, Mrs. Queen; I'm telling you that I took Oliver home last June after meeting him in a club in Coast City. As embarrassing as it is, I didn't know who he was as we only exchanged first names and I don't make it a habit of reading the gossip column. I'm more of a _Wired_ reader rather than _People_." Felicity answered calmly, Moira's outrage actually soothing her, as this is what she'd expected and was prepared for it.

"How dare you! I've already lost my husband and son and now you're here claiming this! Get out of my house." Moira said angrily, startling Raisa as she entered with a tea tray.

"I didn't think you'd believe me, which is why I had my doctor take a DNA sample of me and Marie and had it sealed. I'm sorry if this causes you pain, Mrs. Queen, as that isn't my intention. But I had to see you, to tell you. I…I don't need anything from you or your family; I will be perfectly fine raising Marie on my own with my own family and friends. But I thought you should know that there was a piece of Oliver still here." Felicity said, also rising and setting the container on the table with the picture on top of it.

"You don't have to believe me, Mrs. Queen; you don't even have to have the samples tested. I did my part in coming here today and telling you about her; it's up to you now if you want to be a part of your granddaughter's life. If not, I'll tell her what I can of your family and that things just didn't work out; if you do, my number is on the back of the picture. I'm sorry if my coming here has dredged up memories, but it was my duty as a mother. I'll see myself out." Moira watched the blonde move out of the room, Raisa quickly setting the tray down so she could walk her out.

Hands shaking, the matriarch lifted the small photo up, examining the round face that had startling familiar baby blues. Shaking her head, she dropped the picture down and moved over to the liquor cabinet to pour herself a strong drink, her mind a whirling mess.

"Is there anything I can get you, Mrs. Queen?" Raisa asked as she came back in and saw her employer with a tumbler in hand.

"No thank you, Raisa." Moira replied and the servant nodded before picking the untouched tray back up.

The blonde sighed heavily as she stared at the bag, trying to decide what to do. She'd have to have the samples tested, even if it hurt her heart to even think about Oliver and Robert. If there was even the smallest possible chance the girl had been telling the truth, she needed to know. The possibility that Oliver might have left a part of himself here made Moira down her drink, confused if she was hopeful or not that this wasn't a cruel prank. She'd just have to wait for the results to see.

/*/

Felicity cursed as she tripped over her own feet in her haste to grab the phone, which was ringing shrilly. She'd just managed to grab it when Marie, who'd been napping in her swaying swing, started awake with a cry.

"Um, can you hang on?" Felicity muttered into the phone without even bothering to greet whoever it was, quickly grabbing the half empty bottle off her desk.

"Hey pretty girl, it's alright. Shh, just go back to sleep." She cooed as her daughter grumbled for a moment before latching onto the nipple, her tired eyes closing almost instantly as she sucked on the breast milk. Sighing in relief, Felicity sat back into her computer chair heavily.

"Sorry about that, the phone woke Marie. Wow, I didn't even bother asking who this was. So sorry about that." She knew she blushed, but thankfully the caller couldn't see her.

"That is fine Ms. Smoak. This is Moira Queen. We spoke a few weeks ago." Felicity sat up in shock, eyes widening in surprise.

"Mrs. Queen!" She knew her voice had gone up a few decibels, but she hadn't expected the woman to be on the other end of the phone.

"I'm sorry for interrupting your day and waking the child."

"Oh, no it's fine. I mean, Marie's gone back to sleep, so no harm done. She has this swing that she loves and thankfully it always manages to get her to take a nap. It'd been a lot harder before, when I was trying to find which things she liked or didn't."

"I'm glad. So I had the samples you provided tested and the tests have come back positive; the doctor you used was also contacted to verify the samples, which she did. I'm sorry that I did not believe you but—"

"Oh, no, I understand Mrs. Queen. I mean, I was a stranger claiming Oliver impregnated her during a one-night stand. I mean…never mind." Felicity shut her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, wondering how she always managed to make a fool of herself. It really was a talent.

"Yes, it was a little hard to believe. And I almost didn't even test the samples. But, you were right; if my son left a part of him behind, someone alive and whole, I want to be able to be part of their life. I've already lost so much; I don't want to lose any more."

"I—I understand." Felicity said quietly, her heart breaking for the anguish she could hear in the woman's voice. No one should have to go through losing both their husband and son in the same accident, at the same time.

"I was hoping, since it is going to be the summer season soon, that you might be willing to spend it in Starling City. I understand that you have family and friends in Coast City, but I would really like the chance to get to know you and Marie."

Felicity's breath caught in her throat, her eyes falling on her dozing baby, her small fists wrapped around the bottle to keep it in place. The swing offered a reclined position, so Marie was able to hold the bottle without having to put much effort into it, as she still hadn't gained a lot of neck strength or movement.

"I…I'm taking classes over the summer so I don't have to take as many in the fall. But—but I can do those anywhere as long as I have access to a college campus to take exams, since their online. I guess I could come down for the summer. I mean, I'll have to think about it, to make sure it'll be doable. And I'll need to talk to my parents, since they've been helping me a lot."

"All I ask is that you at least think about it."

"Yeah, sure. I mean, of course I'll think about it, Mrs. Queen. You deserve to know her just like my parents do, since she's your family too. Not that I'm saying you have to think of her as family or anything. I mean, I'd hope you would, since she's your granddaughter and everything, but I understand if maybe you don't. Well, I don't—"

"Marie is family, Ms. Smoak. It would be an honor for us to get to know her. She's the only remaining link I have to Oliver and I'd really like to be part of her life."

"Of course. Yes. I'm sure I can swing coming down for a couple of months. I'll have to find a place to stay. And maybe a part-time job—"

"Nonsense. You'll stay here and I'll pay for any expense, seeing as you're coming my request."

"Mrs. Queen—"

"If you come down, that's not up for debate. And since we're going to be family, I think you can call me Moira."

"Uh, okay. Sure. M-Moira." She stuttered, unsure of herself.

"Good. I hope to hear from you with regards to your plans soon, Felicity. Have a nice day."

"Y-you too. Bye." Shaking her head as she ended the call, Felicity blew out a breath as her mind tried to grasp what'd just happened. After three weeks, she hadn't thought she'd ever be hearing from the Queen family and had prepared herself for raising Marie without them, so she was reeling from this new development.

"Well, looks like you'll know your dad's family after all." She murmured as she stood and grabbed the bottle, using a napkin to wipe up the drop of milk that was clinging to Marie's lip.

Moving off to the kitchen, she started washing the bottle, giving herself time to come to terms with everything. She had a lot of plans to make if she was going to spend the summer in Starling City, starting with convincing her mom she could last two months without having constant access to the baby. That was going to be blast.

**AN: So what did you guys think? Please let me know and drop a comment! Thanks for reading. **


	3. Chapter 2

**AN: Wow guys, just wow. You are the most amazing readers ever! I cannot believe the amount of feedback I've gotten for the last two chapters. I mean, I just…it's crazy and I love every one of you! You've definitely made me feel welcome in this fandom and I'm so happy we can all share our love for Olicity, even if they're torturing us on the show. **

**Also, just a heads up, this is going to be a series of moments. I didn't want to write the entire summer, nor do I think you'd want to read it. Talk about getting tedious, haha. I'll do the same for the next four years as well. Let me know what you thik.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Arrow or DC Comics.**

Chapter 2: Summer with the Queens Pt. 1

"Well, this is definitely gonna take some getting used to girlie." Felicity murmured to the slobbering infant, who was sucking on a teething ring while her mother began unpacking their bags.

They'd arrived at the Queen mansion a few minutes ago and had been shown to the two rooms Moira had had set up for their use, which were connected by a large bathroom. One was a lavish bedroom that made her afraid to bump into anything, the other a nursery fit for a princess. Or a Queen, if they were getting into specifics.

Thankfully the blonde had a small window of time to get her bearings, as Moira had been called into the office to handle a problem and Thea was at a friend's pool party. Meaning she had time to herself to look around and try to get used to the extravagant surrounds that she now found herself in; it was not an easy thing, that was for sure. She had to be extra careful so her clumsy tendencies didn't rear their ugly head and make her break something that was worth more than her college tuition. Thank god Marie was only a few months old and not mobile yet, or else they'd all be in some trouble.

Felicity made quick work of unpacking, hanging her clothes in the empty closet and drawers, humming to herself as she kept an eye on Marie, who was situated quiet happily on her back in the center of the large bed, completely content with her chew toy. She was more adorable and precious than Felicity had ever thought a baby could be, always making her pause when she glanced her way just to smile and her insides to warm, knowing Marie was hers and that she loved her unconditionally.

"Alright girlie, so we're gonna have to be patient, okay? I know you're used to people falling all over themselves when they meet you, but these people, your daddy's family, have been through a lot. They might need time to warm up to you, okay? Just give them time; they'll fall in love with you, I'm sure. No one can resist you." Felicity babbled as she reached for her daughter, making her squeal as she tickled her stomach before zipping up the empty bag and setting it just inside the closet.

"Who's the cutest little baby ever? Huh? You are, yes you are." The new mother cooed at the infant, making her give a gummy smile as she reached for the necklace that dangled by her face, her plastic ring forgotten. Felicity grinned down at the round face before scooping her up, twirling around the room carefully with Marie raised, loving that she could still make her laugh so easily. She had no idea what the future held, but she really hoped they never lost this closeness.

The two were interrupted by a knock on the door, making the blonde jump slightly before giving a sheepish little laugh and moving towards the door, Marie held securely by one arm. Pulling on the handle, Felicity gave a start when Moira's face greeted her, not having expected to see the Queen matriarch outside her bedroom. Well, it was Mrs. Queen's bedroom, so it made sense that she'd be there.

"Oh, Mrs. Queen! I uh, I wasn't expecting it to be you. I mean, it's your house, so you can go where you want. I just—"

"I'm sorry if I startled you; and I've told you to call me Moira, Felicity. We're family now, after all." Moira said, her eyes shifting from the pretty blonde down to the wide-eyed baby in her arms, her throat tightening with emotion.

"Right. Sorry. Uh, do you wanna come in?" She asked, stepping back with a questioning look. The older woman gave a small smile and stepped into the room, glancing around before her gaze settled back on her granddaughter. Oliver's daughter.

"Have you settled in alright?"

"Yeah. Thanks for inviting us. This place is…wow." Moira's lips twitched into a smile, finding the girl oddly amusing. She was certainly not the most eloquent of individuals, but she seemed to shine with an innate goodness and purity that Moira wasn't used to being around. She could indeed see what had drawn Oliver to her, especially since the blonde wasn't exactly his normal type.

"You're welcome here any time, dear. Do you need anything?"

"Oh, no. I mean, I don't know what more someone _could_ want in a place like this. Not that you have everything. Obviously you don't. I'm sorry, I'm just gonna stop talking right now. Do you wanna hold her?" Felicity asked in a rush, her words coming out jumbled as her cheeks flushed, silently cursing herself for not being able to speak like a normal human being.

"I would be honored." Moira said after a moment, her voice catching as she stared at the blue eyes that she'd know anywhere.

"This is your grandma Marie. Can you say hi?" Felicity cooed as she handed the child over, making sure she was secure before retracting her hands.

"Oh, aren't you a beautiful girl." Moira stroked a finger down Marie's soft cheek, which she quickly grabbed with her small fist, fascinated with the stranger. She'd never been shy, always curious and never afraid to be passed from person to person; and always charming them in the process.

"She has his eyes." Felicity murmured after a moment, not knowing what to say.

"Yes she does. And his smile." Moira agreed, eyes looking up at the woman who'd brought light back into her life, her own eyes holding back tears as she held her son's daughter. She was so little and innocent, overflowing with a lightness and purity similar to that which her mother exuded, making it impossible to do anything but fall in love with her.

"Thank you, Felicity. I—I can't thank you enough for coming forward. I know I can never get him back, but it makes the loss a little easier to bear now that Marie is here." Felicity's chest tightened at the pain in the older woman's voice, hating there wasn't anything she could do to really make it easier. At least Moira seemed to find some small comfort in Marie.

"Yeah, sure. I mean, you're welcome. I'm just happy she'll get to know Oliver's side of the family, since I don't really know anything about him. And that makes me sound really bad. I swear I don't normally do one night stands. I'm a girlfriend type of girl, but I'd broken up with my boyfriend in April and I'd just finished my second year and just wanted to relax. Not that I think hooking up with someone is the right way to unwind, I swear. It really was just a one-time thing." Felicity rambled as her hands fidgeted, not really sure how she'd even gotten on this topic.

"Felicity, there's no need to explain yourself. My son's promiscuous behavior is not a surprise to me and you're an adult, capable of making your own decisions. I'm not passing judgment on you, so you can relax." Moira said with a small smile as she tickled Marie's stomach, being rewarded with a squeal and spit bubbles. Felicity reached for the diaper bag, pulling a small rag out and dabbing at the slobber.

"I know you'll be taking online courses over the summer, so I've arranged for the library to be set up with a top-of-the-line operating system. I'm not exactly sure what all a MIT class requires, but the computer is the best there is; and if you need to make any upgrades to it, please feel free, it's yours to do with what you want. I've also taken the liberty of setting up an area for Marie for when you want her with you."

"Oh, wow, you really didn't have to do that. I mean, I have my laptop and everything. I don't want to—"

"You're doing my family a tremendous favor in spending the summer here when you have your own life and family. It is the least I could do. Now, Frederic will be preparing dinner soon; is there anything he must know not to make?"

"Peanuts. I'm allergic to peanuts. Like throat constricting, can't breathe allergic."

"I'll make sure he and the other staff are made aware. Do you have an epinephrine pen on hand? I'll make sure we have a supply in case of an emergency."

"I do. 'Cause it'd be really bad if I didn't. Like dead bad. Sorry. My brain to mouth filter is nonexistent." Felicity blushed in embarrassment, getting a tight smile in reply.

"It's alright dear. Why don't I give you a tour of the house, so you know where everything is and don't get lost?"

"Sure." The blonde nodded, grabbing her phone and tablet and putting them in the diaper bag, slinging it over her shoulder. Moira hugged Marie against her for a moment before handing her back over, fingers trailing over the tuft of soft brown hair.

"It's not as confusing as you think. There're only two main floors, and the second floor is mostly bedrooms; you're in the east wing right now, which houses the guest rooms and it'll give you more privacy. Thea can be…curious and I don't want her snooping through your things."

"Okay. Great." She nodded, not really sure how to properly respond as they ventured down the long hallway, Moira pointing to the various rooms as they went.

"We have a full time staff; so if you need anything, just use the intercom system, day or night. Now the kitchen is…"

/*/

"So you're the tramp that slept with my brother and got knocked up?" Felicity's eyes shot up to see the young girl standing by the couch, where the blonde had apparently dozed along with Marie, who was held to her chest.

"E-Excuse me?" She blinked rapidly, wondering if she was dreaming. She'd never been called a tramp in her entire life, and for a girl that couldn't be older than 13 to be the one saying it was jarring.

"My mother told me about you. At first I thought it was a trick to get money or make a name for yourself. But she claims the tests came back positive. That leaves tramp." Thea Queen shrugged, her glare never lessening as she took in the pretty blonde and the sleeping baby.

"No, I-I mean…you must be Thea." Felicity fumbled for a moment before she got to her feet, Marie shifting at the movement, giving a yawn as her eyes fluttered open.

"I must be."

Not knowing what to do, since it was crystal clear the youngest Queen did not like her one iota, Felicity bit her bright lip and cuddled Marie closer to her, not wanting the baby to feel any of the animosity rolling off the teenager. And babies are very intuitive about things like that, so she didn't want to expose her child to it. All she ever wanted Marie to feel was love.

"Uh—look, I never meant for this to happen. Obviously, as I still have the summer and fall semester of school left. If I wanted to get pregnant, I definitely would've waited until after I graduated…and had a serious relationship. I'm sorry about what happened to…I know it must be very hard for you.

"I'm here at your mother's request and I'll stay out of your way, since it's clear you don't like me, even though we've never even met before. I think if you got to know me, you'd actually like me…or at least tolerate me. But all I care about is Marie, and if you don't want to get to know her, that's fine. But please keep your opinions to yourself because I don't want my daughter exposed to that." The normally timid woman was gone, in her place a new mother that was very overprotective of her kid, the fears of making a bad impression gone in the face of needing to protect her.

Thea's mouth opened in surprise, but Felicity moved past before she could say anything, needing to change Marie's diaper and feed her, and since she didn't have any bottles made up, Felicity needed to be alone. She so wasn't one of those women that could just whip their boobs out, no matter the location. Privacy was good.

/*/

The first time Felicity really spent time with Moira, she was a bundle of nerves and hyper away of herself, not wanting to make a wrong move. She knew she wasn't like the people the elegant woman was used to socializing with, so she tried to not stick her foot in her mouth as best she could.

But after a while, Moira had told her to relax and that she just wanted to get to know her. She'd still been hesitant, but when the Queen matriarch had kicked off her shoes and snuggled into the couch with a throw blanket and cup of tea, it was hard to keep herself restrained.

Somehow Felicity had managed to find a comfortableness around the older woman, something she'd never thought would happen. Moira was a billionaire and she was just an MIT student; their situations couldn't get further apart. But they now shared a common link; Marie had brought them together and Felicity was shocked to find she was thankful for it.

While Moira was more reserved than her own mother, it was clear she loved her family just as deeply as Charlotte Smoak did. And it was clear how hard she had taken Oliver and Robert's deaths, something Felicity tried to avoid mentioning if possible. But she wanted to know more about the lost son, to know things to tell Marie when she got older, so she thought she'd wait a little longer before asking.

Moira had opened her home and heart to her and Marie, so she wasn't going to risk that by being nosey. The woman still needed time to properly grieve and Felicity wasn't going to get in the way of that.

/*/

Felicity stepped out of the house quietly, dressed in shorts and a tank top, her iPod strapped to her arm and ear buds in place. She'd had to convince the guard on duty by the back door she would remain on the property and didn't need a babysitter. It wasn't like she was in any danger, as the closest neighbors were miles away, but she knew it was his job to make sure they were safe, so she just shrugged it off.

Moving to the soft grass that was professionally manicured, the blonde unrolled her yoga mat before stretching. She'd never been one for the gym, as every time she'd applied for a membership she'd never end up going; instead, to stay active, she did things that could be done in her dormitory or around campus. Yoga helped her stay fit, as it improved her flexibility while also strengthening her muscles while providing her time to think about stuff, to reflect on her life.

Felicity went through the different poses, sighing at the slight burn, it reminding her she was still trying to get back into shape after giving birth. Moving from one pose to the other, she thought about how strange this all still was. She'd been at the Queen mansion for two weeks already and it hadn't gotten any less weird.

Thea still hated her and Moira still seemed unsure, even while spending as much time with Marie as possible. The woman did have a billion dollar company to run, so she wasn't around as often as she'd like to be, but Felicity was silently thankful for the time alone, as she didn't have to try and please the matriarch or ignore the angry graze of Thea. Her time alone was precious to her now, as she got to do her schoolwork while also just hanging out with her daughter; and as boring as that sounded, she loved it.

Marie was spending the early morning hours with her grandmother before Moira had to go to work, giving Felicity the time to work out without needing to have the baby monitor with her. She'd had to get used to sharing her daughter, but she knew it was what they all needed; well, expect Thea, who hadn't so much as held her niece. Felicity hoped she'd come around eventually, as she'd love Marie to have an aunt she could turn to when she needed it, since she didn't have any siblings herself.

Felicity spent 45 minutes on the mat before rolling it back up and setting it on a lawn chair; moving further away from the house, the blonde set a slow pace. The estate was so large that she only had to do two circuits to get in her full millage, her body singing with the exertion and slick with sweat when she came to a stop by two tombstones she'd passed by earlier.

Slowly making her way over, Felicity tried to calm her breathing as she stared at the two stones, an unfamiliar emotion filling her. Sitting down, her fingers picked at the blades of grass as she tried to get a handle on herself, unsure why she was so affected by this.

"So, uh, I know you're not really here. And that we didn't know each other. But I just…I wanted to let you know that you had a daughter. A beautiful baby girl that I wished you'd have known." Felicity said quietly as she stared at the lettering.

"It's so weird, since I don't know you besides that you really like a woman on top, not that that's important…jeez, I even ramble to myself." She shook her head.

"Is it possible to miss someone you never even knew?" She voiced to the heavens, face scrunched up in confusion.

"What are you doing here?" Felicity sat up straighter at the angry snarl, looking behind her to see Thea. Swallowing, she got to her feet, hands fidgeting around, not sure what to do.

"I was just…I went for a run and saw these."

"You shouldn't be here! You didn't know him!" Thea said angrily, marching forward to put herself between the blonde and her brother's tombstone.

"I know. I just…I wished I did. Marie's going to ask me about him when she gets older, and I don't have any stories to tell, no memories to relive. I'll never be able to fill the space in her heart that's going to want Oliver." Felicity said sadly, arms wrapping around herself. The brunette's scowl lessened a little as she looked down, hand stroking over the stone.

"I miss them so much." Taking a hesitant step forward, Felicity came to stand next to the girl.

"I can't even imagine. I mean, I know what it's like to lose a sibling, but I still have both my parents." Thea looked up in surprise at her words.

"You—you lost a sibling?" Throat tightening, she gave a small nod.

"Yeah. I…we don't talk about it. My parents, they never really recovered from it. And my mom can't have any more children, so it was too hard for them to constantly be reminded."

"W-what happened?" Felicity bit her lip, but the large eyes and quivering mouth were more than she could bear.

"I was eight and Lizzy was six. She, uh, she had leukemia and stopped responding to treatments. It was…there wasn't any more they could do, which really affected my mom, since she's a neurologist. Not that she dealt with cancer, as oncologists are those types of doctors; but she took it really hard, since she was a doctor and couldn't do anything."

"I'm sorry." Thea mumbled, tears in her eyes.

"They're wrong, you know, about time healing all wounds. You forget how the person looked or sounded, but you never really forget them or what they meant to you. They're always with you, no matter where you go; every big moment you have, you'll think about them and wonder what they'd have said or done. Like going on your first date or getting into university." Her voice trailed off as she wiped at her cheeks, which were wet with tears.

"I don't know how I'll ever be able to move on." Felicity wrapped an arm around the teenager and turned her so she could see her face.

"It's not about moving on, Thea. You must deal with your grief and mourn; you can't just push it aside and hope it magically goes away. The place your father and brother had in your life and heart will never be filled, but that doesn't mean you'll always be consumed with their loss. The best you can do is try to honor their memories, to hold them close to you and know that no one can ever erase them from your life.

"I know it's different for you, as you lost your dad and brother, but the pain is the same. And I'm telling you that you'll make it through this; it doesn't feel like that right now, but it will get easier. You're stronger than you think you are."

Thea sniffled before burying her face in Felicity's shirt, too emotional to care about the sweat. The older woman wrapped her arms around her, hands stroking over the brown curls, content to just be there for her. They remained that way for several minutes, until Thea was all cried out.

"I'm sorry I've been so mean."

"It's alright; I know how strange this must be for you. I never meant to cause you more pain." The two pulled away and Thea wiped her face before giving a sad smile. She turned back to the graves and stroked each stone before moving away.

"If I promise not to drop her, can I hold Marie?" Felicity's lips stretched into a smile and nodded, walking with the teen back towards the house.

"Of course. I'm sure she's been wondering who you are."

"She's really cute." Thea admitted, getting a small laugh in reply.

"And doesn't she know it." They shared a smile, both feeling the tension between them dissipate. She might not have her brother or father, but Thea had a niece now that she could love and spoil. It made her feel closer to Oliver, at least a little bit.

/*/

Thursday nights became movie nights, the three women lounging out in the den in their pajamas, eating junk food and ice cream. Marie, when she wasn't asleep, had her own party on the carpet, toys strewn around as she played with her feet.

Thea, once she'd actually opened her heart to her niece, had fallen just like every predecessor before her. Marie loved having another person that adored her and took every opportunity to be as adorable as possible to get fawned over. Not that Felicity could blame her. She was really cute, and she didn't think that just because she was biased.

Felicity had finally grown past being nervous and unsure of herself, getting comfortable around both Queens so that she didn't constantly censure what she said. They would just laugh or ignore her word vomit, finding the little quirk amusing and endearing instead of a negative personality trait. Which she was thankful for, as trying to keep it all in was an impossible task.

She also learned more about them. Like Moira hated chocolate sauce on her ice cream and Thea liked having Disney movie marathons, to which she'd sing along to each and every song. There were brief moments when they were able to forget their world had been completely upturned and holes had formed in their hearts that would never be filled. Felicity was honored to be part of that and liked to think that those moments were coming about more often than not. She was glad her and Marie's presence was able to lighten their hearts at least a little.

/*/

"I cannot believe you and Moira talked me into this." Felicity mumbled as she leaned back in the seat as the waiter left with their orders, smiling as Thea bounced Marie on her knee, letting her chew on her fingers.

"It's the first party mom's thrown since…you couldn't say no." The brunette replied with a shrug as she straightened the flower headband on Marie's head.

The teenager had taken it upon herself to be the baby's fashion consultant, turning her very privileged nose up at the department store brands she'd been wearing. Felicity didn't take offense, knowing the girl was latching on to something to distract herself; and it allowed aunt and niece to bond, which the mother was happy for.

"It's not a party, Thea. It's a gala. Like a real life gala; something I've never even thought about, let alone attended. I'm gonna make a fool of myself." Felicity pouted, reaching for her glass of iced tea.

"You'll be fine. And with the dress I picked out, you'll knock the guys out. Maybe you'll meet your Prince Charming. You never know."

"Thea, I don't have time to date right now, let alone find my Prince Charming. I've got enough on my plate between school and Marie." She shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"You gotta get out more, Lissy. I mean, this is the first time you've been out since you got here. Its summer, you should be out having fun." Thea retorted with an arched brow as she used her napkin to wipe up the slobber on Marie's face and hands. It had been surprising how quickly she'd adjusted to have a baby around, and how unaffected she now was about what that entailed; like slobber. Thank god Marie wasn't really one to spit up, though. Because that's just nasty.

"This might surprise you, but I've never been one to go out and party. And when I did, I ended up with Marie. And while I love her, I don't want a repeat any time soon." Felicity shook her head and grabbed the bottle she'd prepared, Thea handing Marie over without having to be asked.

"I didn't mean like that! I mean, we should go to the beach or go shopping again. Your wardrobe could definitely use an uplift."

"I like my clothes, thank you very much. And I'm not sure I ever want to step foot in a store with you ever again." Felicity said with a shudder, getting an eye roll in response. She was just about to make her case when her gaze lifted over the blonde's shoulder, eyes widening at the woman that was just about to walk past their terrace table.

"Laurel!" Thea said in surprise, bringing the beautiful woman's attention to her and their table.

"Oh, Thea. Uh…how are you? How's your mom?" Laurel asked, looking a little uncomfortable as she looked between the lunch goers.

"We're doing okay. How about you? And your parents?"

"Uh, alright, I guess. As best as we can." The two gave little nods, the tension thickening in the air between them.

"This is Felicity. She's—"

"A family friend." Felicity rushed to say, not wanting the girl to reveal too much. She smiled at the beautiful brunette as she held the bottle to Marie's mouth.

"Ah, nice to meet you. Well I should be going. It was good to see you Thea."

"Bye." Thea waved as the woman rushed off, taking the tension with her.

"What was that about?" Felicity questioned as the waiter returned with their food.

"She was Oliver's girlfriend. Before."

"Oh." Her eyes widened as she looked back to where the striking woman had disappeared.

"Yeah. He took her sister Sara on the yacht with him." Thea revealed after a moment, making Felicity's mouth drop open.

"He…with her _sister_?"

"Yeah. Ollie wasn't exactly the best boyfriend."

"So…he was dating Laurel when he came to Coast City?"

"Hmm, yeah. They'd been together for like two years I think. But he was allergic to commitment and cheated on her more than once." Thea nodded as she picked up her fork.

"I had no idea. Now I feel even worse for her." Felicity said softly as she looked down at her daughter, who she'd gained because of Oliver's discretions. She hadn't known he'd been involved with someone, but she couldn't find it within herself to regret their night together; not when it resulted in the creation of Marie.

"Enough about that. Let's talk about how you're going to accessorize for the party." Thea said, wanting to move beyond the awkward conversation. And she didn't want to think about Oliver right now, as she was having a good day and didn't want her sadness to consume her.

"Thea really…"

/*/

"Felicity, you look absolutely stunning, dear." Moira said with a smile as the blonde carefully made her way down the stairs, not wanting to trip over her thin heels.

"Thank you. Though I didn't have much to do with it, as Thea wouldn't let me have a lot of input on anything." She replied with a shrug, the deep blue floor-length gown accentuating her form to perfection.

Apparently, or according to Thea, the shade had to be just right so as not to wash her out, since she had ash blonde hair and had to 'work it'. She'd just stopped trying to fight the small fashionista, knowing it was a lost cause.

"Thea does know how to put a look together. Come on, I want to introduce you to some guests." Moira said, reaching her hand out, which Felicity took after stepping off the last step.

The older woman was wearing a gown made of such a deep plum color it almost looked black, one shoulder covered with a sleeve while the other was left bear. Felicity thought she looked every bit the widow of a billionaire, the twinkle of diamonds shinning discretely.

"You really don't have to."

"Nonsense. You're a part of this family now and I want you to be comfortable in this world. I know it's very different than what you're used to, but I think you'll do just fine." The older blonde said, patting Felicity's hand as they moved towards the ballroom.

"You mean if I don't make a goof of myself." Moira let out a small laugh at her muttered reply.

"Just be yourself and they'll love you. Besides, you want to enter the corporate world once you graduate and this is an excellent time to network." Felicity didn't get to respond, as she was being pulled towards a group of people, all of whom were decked out for the event; one woman in particular had so much sparkle Felicity thought she might fall over from the weight of the jewels.

"Moira! We were delighted for the invitation. You haven't thrown a soirée in such a long time!" The woman said, her voice higher pitched than was needed and grating on Felicity's nerves.

"Jaqueline, I'm so pleased you and Charles could make it." Moira said, ignoring the last part of the woman's words. She smiled at the man next to the woman, who upon closer inspection, had clear signs of having gone under the scalpel, making the computer geek think she'd probably married for money. Poor guy.

"It's good to see you again, Moira. I hear you're back at the company too." Charles greeted, kissing the back of the hand the matriarch offered and getting a genuine smile in return.

"Yes. Well, I've been checking in recently, to make sure everything is going smoothly. Walter has kept it in good standing and with the new addition to the technical division, the stock should be rising soon. And speaking of that, I'd like to introduce you to Felicity Smoak. She's a close family friend and I'm trying to convince her to join Queen Consolidated after she graduates." Moira said, giving the young woman a light push so she could be seen clearly.

"W—Nice to meet you." Felicity smiled, trying not to let the surprise at her words show, as they hadn't had any discussion about her coming to QC. Although, she's not really surprised, as Moira would want her to be close once she was done with school.

"It's a pleasure Ms. Smoak. Tell me, what are you studying?" Charles asked, signaling for a passing waiter to come closer so they could all grab champagne flutes. Felicity politely declined, as she wasn't 21 yet and shouldn't be drinking anyway, as alcohol contaminated breast milk and made it impossible to give to an infant. Well, as long as you were a responsible adult, that is. She was sure there were women out there that didn't care or didn't know.

"Uh, computer science. Well, really, I'm focusing on the creation of security systems and how to prevent intrusions, but I wanted an overall knowledge so I could do more than just one thing. I've actually been building computers since I was seven, so I know the ins and outs of an operating system and how to use the existing technology to create new, better tech. Not that the old stuff wasn't good, because it was. I just can't help but tinker to see if I can make it faster or easier to use." Cheeks flushed as she finally got control over her tongue and was able to stop the ramble.

"Felicity would be a great addition to our IT department if she decided to accept my offer. She's got ideas that I think we could definitely use to get ahead of the competition." Moira said, recovering the conversation as the man and woman were looking a little lost.

"Well I hope you'll take Moira up on the offer. We could use any edge; Wayne Enterprises is starting to make a name for itself again and we don't want them taking our clients." Charles and Moira both nodded.

"I'll let you get back to the party. I've got a few others I want to introduce Felicity to. Have a good evening." Moira smiled and gave a light wave before pulling the young blonde away, not giving her a chance to get her bearings before she was thrust into another conversation.

It was obvious the Queen matriarch wanted her to network with as many investors and company officials as possible, hoping it would help her argument for wanting her and Marie to move to Starling City. Not that she'd actually brought the conversation up yet, but Felicity just went with it, trying not to ramble too much. By the fourth introduction she had to excuse herself to get a drink, her throat dry from talking so much.

"Can I get a Coke please?" She asked the bartender, getting a raised brow at the choice before a he started making her drink. He sat the thin glass down in front of her after a moment, which Felicity took with a smile and thank you before she moved away.

Walking out of the house, Felicity sighed as the breeze cooled her over heated skin as she found a spot on the terrace, thankful for a moment alone. She'd had no idea it would be so tiring to go to one of these things; although, it was probably easier for those that were just there to dance and mingle. She really wanted to escape back upstairs, where Thea and Marie were having a sleepover in the teen's room and being overseen by Raisa.

"You had to escape too?" Turning at the question, Felicity saw a man leaning against the railing that overlooked part of the massive backyard.

"Yeah. It was getting a little…hot." She said with a light shrug, the man's lips stretching into a smile. He looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn't place where she'd seen him.

"You're new to Staling City, right? I've never seen you at one of these before." The man said, moving closer so they could speak more clearly.

"I'm visiting the Queens for the summer. And I don't tend to go to shindigs like this. I guess I shouldn't call it a shindig, as it's a lot grander than anything I've seen before."

"I think Mrs. Queen wanted to make a statement, since this is the first get-together she's thrown in a while." Felicity gave a slight nod of agreeance as she sipped from her glass.

"This might sound strange, but have I met you before?" The man questioned, really hoping she wasn't someone he'd slept with and couldn't remember. He'd had that happen before and it wasn't a fun experience.

"I don't know. You're vaguely familiar too, but I don't know where we would've met before. I've only been in the city for a few weeks and I've only met a few people so far."

"Hmm, maybe we knew each other in another life. I'm Tommy. Tommy Merlyn." His smile was charming, hand held out. Felicity shook it before pulling her hand back, teeth nipping at her lip.

"You're…I think Thea's mentioned you." She said after a moment, not sure.

"Ah, yeah, I…I was best friends with her brother." He replied, sadness pulling his lips down before he shook it off, used to pushing the feeling away.

"You're the guy Oliver was with in Coast City, right?" She asked, his face finally clicking in her memory.

"You knew Oliver?" He asked in surprise. Although, Moira had been introducing her as a family friend, so it made sense she'd know his late friend.

"No, not really. We met at a club last June. Before…" She trailed off, not wanting to bring up bad memories more than she had already.

"Wait…at Limelight? You were the blonde he left with?" Tommy asked in shock, eyes widening as he took her in. He hadn't really seen her very well the first time around, too distracted with his own perusals to pay much attention to his friend's.

"Maybe." Felicity shrugged, her cheeks burning as she tipped her head back to look at the stars.

"Well this got awkward." He said, his voice light hearted and pulling a small laugh from her. He didn't mention how strange he thought it was that she was hanging out with the Queens after sleeping with Oliver, as he was sure there was more to her story than just that. She'd probably met Thea somewhere and hit it off with the girl or something.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up. I just realized that's where I remembered you from."

"You can make it up to me by agreeing to a dance." His smile was wide, white teeth gleaming in the soft light.

"Oh, no, I've managed to make it through this without making too big a fool of myself. The night's almost over and I want to keep it that way." She shook her head, but Tommy just chuckled and placed a hand on her elbow.

"C'mon, it'll be fun. I'm sure Moira has people for you to meet if you want." He gave an easy shrug, lips never dipping from their pleased smile.

"That's just mean." Tommy laughed at her pout, setting her glass on a passing waiter's tray before pulling her to the area reserved for dancing.

"It got me a dance, so I can't be sorry."

Felicity shook her head and placed her right hand in his, thinking he was really too used to getting anything he wanted. But she'd cry if she had to go through another round of meet and greets, so she'd just try not to trip as he twirled her around the dance floor. And if she purposefully stepped on his toes a time or two to get back at him, that would just be her little secret.

/*/

"So do you want the good news or the bad news first?" Thea asked as she sauntered into the library, where Felicity was working on her course work. Marie was dozing in her Pack 'N Play, the stuffed llama her aunt had given her clutched in her little fists, which made the teen smile as she stepped past.

"What're you talking about?" Felicity asked, turning around from the computer screen to face her, brow arching over her glasses. Thea sat on the arm rest of the chair, opening the magazine she'd gotten on her way home from Adriana's town house, where she'd stayed the night.

"So the good news is you look really good in these pictures. So yay." Felicity's brow furrowed before she snatched the magazine, her eyes widening as she read the headline.

"What…how did this happen?"

"One of the draw backs about being a Queen; or being seen with one. But there's no way for them to confirm the suspicions, so everything should die down. Right?" Thea gave a bright smile, not really affected by the gossip, as she was used to it.

Felicity shook her head as she started reading the article, her irritation at how much the reporter had been able to dig up mounting. How they'd discovered so much in such a short time, she had no idea. Well, if they had anyone like her on their research team, then she could understand, as she could find pretty much anything that was online.

"Has your mother seen this?"

"Probably. But she doesn't seem that concerned. We're used to being in the public eye."

"Well I hope it dies down. I don't want your family or mine pulled through the mud to sell magazines."

"When they don't a response, they'll get tired of it. I'm gonna go take a shower." Thea said before she stood and left, leaving Felicity to stare down of the pictures of her.

One was of her, Thea and Marie eating at the café and then a picture of her and Tommy laughing, their heads tipped towards each other and their bodies closer than she'd realized. As she read, her distaste and anger grew until she almost flung the pages away from her in irritation.

_Is there a new Queen in Starling City?_

_Thea Queen, the daughter and sister of the late Robert and Oliver Queen, was seen out shopping with a mysterious woman and child. Sources say the woman is named Felicity Smoak and has been introduced as a "family friend", even though she's never been seen with any of the Queens before now. Her sudden appearance, with her almost four month old daughter have sparked a lot of questions about who she is and what brought her to Starling City._

_The consensus is that Felicity, a Coast City native who's an MIT student who's set to graduate early with honors in the field of computer science, had a rendezvous with Oliver Queen before his ill-fated trip on the Queen's Gambit and got more out of it than she bargained for. _

_There's no proof that she is a Queen, as we don't have access to a DNA test, but the timing of all this is very suspicious, as is the close bond Thea has with the child. But the time seems to fit, as Oliver was photographed in Coast City in June of 2005 and Felicity gave birth in March 2006, 9 months later. Suspicious? We think so._

_But the real question is is this woman after the Queen fortune that the infant would be privy to if she is Oliver Queen's heir. And after the close proximity Felicity was seen to be to Tommy Merlyn, Oliver's best friend, it's got us wondering what her true intentions are._

_So stay tuned while we try to dig deeper and discover the truth. For more on the life of Oliver Queen, turn to page 21._

Huffing, Felicity got up, tossing the magazine in the waste basket as she went to check on Marie. While she was mortified to be made such a spectacle of, she more infuriated that they actually thought she'd use her child to swindle money out of the Queens. It was disgusting and made her stomach churn. But it was a gossip rag, so she shouldn't be surprised, as they made their money off stories such as these.

Tucking the blanket back around Marie's small body, the blonde fished her phone out of her pocket, knowing she needed to call Robin before her friend had a chance to freak out. And she needed to talk to her parents, though they'd been the ones to warn her about the paparazzi and what would probably happen. She just hadn't thought it'd be so soon.

She could just hope it died down soon, as they weren't going to get any answers from her. It was none of their business and the only people who mattered knew the truth. The rest of the world could go to hell for all she cared.

**AN: Okay, so I was going to keep going, but I'm already on 16 pages and it's just so much! And By breaking it up I could post this now since you guys were amazing with the reviews and have the next chapter ready by next week. Sorry for any mistakes, after the 10****th**** page it all became a blur,s so I probably missed some things. My bad! **

**Please review and let me know what you thought! Thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter 3

**AN: Wow you guys, just wow. I can't believe we passed 80 reviews so quickly! Amazing. I've been in the hospital the last few weeks, so I appreciate all of your patience and your responses for the story. Let me know what you think of this chapter! And thank you WinterRain36 for the ideas!**

ARP: Thanks so much! I'm glad you like the story so far and my ideas. Sorry for the delay but I hope you like the chapter!

Guest: Here's the next chapter! Enjoy!

Ms Luna Moon: Thanks so much! I'm delighted you're like it.

OlicityAlways: I'm not sure if Oliver ever thought of Felicity while on the island, as he seemed pretty consumed with only thinking of Laurel; I mean, he didn't even seem to think about Sarah until he was captured on the ship. So I dunno, lol. I'm so happy you like the story so far and I hope you like this chapter too.

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Arrow. **

Chapter 3: Summer with the Queens Pt. 2

"I really don't think this is necessary. I mean, the press'll get tired after a while, right?" Felicity mumbled as she twisted her hands in anxiety, staring at her reflection in the elevator.

"I am not worried about the press, Felicity. The article simply reminded me of my responsibilities as head of this family that I'd been neglecting and we're here to make arrangements for Marie's future." Moira Queen replied as she fixed her hair before stepping out of the elevator, head high and back straight.

Felicity had to take a calming breath before she followed, not wanting to let those they passed to see how unnerved she was about this entire situation. They made their way into what she guessed was a conference room, where several men and woman were already seated.

"Moria." A stylish blonde stood from the table and the two clasped hands.

"Jean, thank you for coming. This is Felicity Smoak." Moira introduced, motioning the young woman forward. Stepping more fully into the room, Felicity gave a nervous wave to the room, her cheeks hot as all eyes turned towards her. It was perfectly clear they were judging her and she didn't particularly like it.

"A pleasure, Ms. Smoak. Let us get started." Jean said and nodded towards the table, where the three took their seats.

"By her presence, I'm assuming the article was correct?" A bolding man asked, leaning on his elbows so he could get a closer look at Felicity, who fidgeted in her seat.

"Yes, Mr. Thomas, the article presumed correctly in that Marie is my granddaughter." Moira replied with a pinched expression, not liking his tone.

"How can we be certain? She could just be trying to weasel money out of you, or gain fame by being associated with your family."

"Do you really think me so gullible, Mr. Thomas?" Felicity bit down on her brightly colored lip to keep from starting to ramble as Moira glared icily at the man, the temperature seeming to drop with every second.

"N-No, of course not Mrs. Queen." The man shook his head, not wanting to risk losing his job.

"I have a DNA test result sent by Dr. Lamb that gives irrefutable proof of the child's parentage." Jean announced, the man next to her handing her the document from the file they'd compiled for this meeting.

"Her name is Marie." Everyone glanced over at the blonde, who was slightly irritated they kept referring to her daughter without using her name.

"Of course, Ms. Smoak. Our apologies." Jean gave a small smile, looking more sincere than the others.

"Felicity, Jean and her firm are going to be handling the legalities of our situation. The PR team is here to plan on how to properly address the public." Moira said, motioning to each party.

"What legalities?" She asked, sitting forward with a questioning look. Moira and Jean both exchanged a look.

"Marie is a Queen, Ms. Smoak. And with that comes specific obligations." At her confused look, Moira gently squeezed her hand.

"Jean is here to set up trusts for you and Marie, as well as changing my will to include you both."

"Moira, I told you I don't want your money."

"I know, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to make sure you and Marie are taken care of; you're family." Felicity gave a heavy sigh and shook her head, knowing the older woman could be so damn stubborn.

"Moira—"

"It's going to be done, Felicity. I've already made all the arrangements. All you have to do is sign the documents." Moira spoke over her, her face set in determination.

"I won't say no to Marie, but I really cannot accept money on my behalf. I'm perfectly capable of earning my way in the world and making a life for myself and Marie." Felicity replied, just as stubborn.

"As the mother of my granddaughter, it is my responsibility to make sure you're taken care of as well. There is no point in arguing dear, as the paperwork has already been drawn up." Moira nodded at the man next to Jean, who pulled out a handful of papers and slid them over to her.

"I've indicated where you and Ms. Smoak must sign."

"Thank you Mr. Jones." The matriarch said and took the pen Jean offered, quickly flipping through the pages and signing her name with a flourish. When she was done she handed Felicity the documents and pen, brow arched as if daring her to try and fight her.

"I really—"

"Just sign the papers Felicity." The young mother bit at her lip at the exacerbated tone of Moira's words, not wanting to upset the woman. She'd already lost so much that the last thing Felicity wanted to do was add to her pain by refusing her. It was just too much, way too much.

"What am I signing, exactly?" She questioned as she picked up the pen, resigned that she was going to have to do as Moira commanded. There was no way to say 'no' to her, as she literally just bulldozed over anyone or anything that got in her way. And Felicity respected that about her, even if it made her uncomfortable in this instance.

"Marie's name will be changed to Queen to prevent anyone from trying to negate the legality of her inheritance. You are the executor of her trust and have access to it until she comes of age; if you'd wish to change the age requirement, we can do that."

"Hmm. Yeah, I think that'd be good. I don't want her to have ready access to this kind of money when she turns eighteen. Maybe 21? Or 25?" She said, looking over at Moira for help, as this was beyond her realm of expertise.

"I believe 25 is a very good age; it will give her time to mature and understand the responsibility that comes with this type of inheritance. I've seen what too much too early can cause, and I don't want that for Marie." The older mother's voice caught at the reference to her lost son, making Felicity reach out to lightly squeeze her hand and give a sad smile.

"I'll make the change." Jean said, snagging the papers back to make the notation before handing them back and Felicity initialed the newly inked lines before flipping to the last page and signing her name with a flourish.

"Have you come up with how to handle this?" Moira asked, her attention turning to the other group of people that hadn't spoken, save the balding man.

"We believe a press conference to address the rumors would suffice. That way, the public knows the truth without the tabloids being able to twist your words around or take them out of context. This way we can control what is said." A middle aged woman with dark brown hair said, handing a folder over to the matriarch, which held the arrangements that just needed authorizing.

"Very good. I'd like to have the conference as soon as possible." She said as she read over the specifics.

"Most of the press is outside the building already, Mrs. Queen. We could have everything ready within the half hour."

"That would be very good. The sooner the better. I do not want any confusion or doubts to who Marie's father is, was. Get everything set up; Felicity and I will grab something to eat from the cafeteria while we wait."

The young blonde marveled at the authority the other woman possessed, as everyone began moving as soon as she gave the order, giving true meaning to "the Queen had spoken". The conference room was emptied in seconds, with Jean and Moira exchanging quiet words before she was being escorted back towards the elevator by the uniformed man that'd driven them to the office.

"That went faster than I originally thought." Moira murmured as they waited for the elevator to reach its destination.

"All of that really wasn't necessary, Moira."

"Hush, dear, I won't hear any more of it. Now, what do you want to eat? Maybe just some coffee and we can get something more appetizing on the way back home."

Felicity just followed after the woman, shaking her head to herself. The Queens were like tornados, sucking in everyone around them and forcing them where they wanted them, no matter how much the other person might protest. She'd be more concerned about it if she was their enemy, that was for sure. As it was, she was just thankful to not be on the destructive side of the storm.

/*/

The press conference was quick and to the point, Felicity thankfully being kept to the side and not allowed to be questioned. Moira confirmed Oliver had fathered Marie before leaving on the yacht and that Maria had been welcomed into the Queen family without prejudice or shame. The reporters had clamored for more, for juice they could make money from, but the Queen matriarch had been abrupt and refused to allow the gossipers to get anything from her or Felicity.

The new mother was just thankful it was all over and she was allowed to return to her life, even if it was irritating that people now stared and whispered whenever she went somewhere. Like now, as she was sitting with Marie at a café, her laptop in front of her and her programming code running. She'd wanted to get out of the mansion and spend the day with her daughter, but now she was regretting it as they were the talk of the small café.

"So I feel even weirder about flirting with you now." The blonde gave a start at the voice, looking up to see the charming smile of Tommy Merlyn, the billionaire standing to the side with a cup of what she presumed was coffee.

"Do you have something against single mothers?" She questioned with a quirk of the brow as he gave a chuckle and sat down, making a face that had Marie giggling loudly, drawing even more attention.

"They do tend to have a lot of baggage that I don't want to get involved with." Felicity shook her head at his smile, bouncing Marie on her knee and grabbing a napkin as the baby started blowing bubbles.

"Maybe you just haven't met the right person."

"Hmm. I still can't believe he actually knocked you up. I mean, that's not something we ever thought would happen." Tommy said with a shake of his head, setting his cup down.

"Given what I've read about your exploits, I'm surprised it hasn't happened sooner, actually. The two of you are…were very reckless. I'm just glad all I got from Oliver was Marie, as there's really no telling what he might have caught." She shuddered a little, the knowledge that she could have gotten a STI along with a child not lost on her.

"This coming from the woman who went home with Oliver after only a few hours?" Tommy asked with a laugh, no ill intent in his words as he smiled charmingly at her.

"That was literally a one-time thing for me, and I got more than I bargained for. I'll be staying clear of careless sex—not that I won't have sex again, because I will. Not that I'll have it with just anyone; I do have standards. I mean…3-2-1." Felicity could feel the hot blush on her cheeks as she forced herself to stop rambling, the amused look on his face making her redden even more. She really needed to stop putting her foot in her mouth if she was going to be around billionaires this often.

"We should get out of here."

"Why?" Felicity gave a confused look as she glanced up, not knowing where that had come from. Tommy finished his coffee and stood to toss it in the trashcan, wiggling his fingers at Marie until she reached for him with a giggle.

"The paps are arriving and I doubt you're very good at maneuvering around them yet." Her eyes shot to the window, where numerous people with cameras stood, trying to get a good angle on the three of them.

"Damn. How'd they know I was here? Is it always like this?"

"Someone tipped them off and yes, it's always like this. Starling City doesn't exactly have a high celebrity count, so they swarm the ones we do. And you, Blondie, are the newest star of the city." He replied with a smirk and chuckle, taking the baby from her arms with ease.

She quirked a brow at him, as she hadn't pegged him as a kid person, but Tommy just shrugged and bounced Marie in his arms, being rewarded with peals of laughter that made both adults smile. Sighing, Felicity quickly closed her laptop and put it back in her bag and stood, grabbing the stroller that she'd pushed to the side.

"You know they're gonna make it look like you're interested in me if you don't give her to me, right?" The blonde asked as he refused to hand the smiling child over, content to hold her close to his chest.

"I have no problem being linked to a woman as beautiful and charming as you." He said with a grin, making her blush and shake her head, figuring it was the same smile he used to get many a woman into his bed.

"I'm already being called a gold-digger and tramp, so I guess adding one more billionaire to the tally won't really matter."

"Hey, it'll die down in a few weeks. You're just fresh meat they can't resist, and with you not talking to the tabloids, they're filling in the gaps with whatever will sell more magazines." Tommy bumped his hip against hers as they headed towards the door, making her puff out a breath before nodding.

"I know. I just hate that Marie is being put through this."

"She won't even remember it. All that matters to her is that you love her and are looking out for her." Felicity turned to him, having to tip her head back to look up at him, hand reaching out to stroke Marie's soft cheek.

"You're not anything like what I thought you'd be." Tommy's lips twitched into a small smile as he shrugged.

He'd never admit out loud that he felt like a piece of his friend had been returned to him; as he held Marie close to him, he didn't feel like he was floundering as much as he had been since Oliver's accident. He'd been a wreck for a year now, and only with the appearance of these two remarkable females did he finally feel things begin to settle back into place. It wasn't the same as having Oliver, but it was the best he could get and he wasn't going to lose that connection now that he had it.

"Let's get out of here."

She nodded and turned back to push through the door, not realizing the picture that'd been captured would indeed paint them as more than just "friends". But this was the life she'd agreed to when she'd signed those papers and would just have to get used to it. And as long as no one was slandering Marie, she could deal with whatever the gossip rags spit out.

/*/

And boy did they come up with some ridiculous stories, especially with the pictures of her and Tommy to add fuel to the fire. But he just shrugged it off, coming by once to twice a week to hang out and play with Marie, making it obvious he was more than the playboy he let other see. Marie absolutely adored him, her round little face always lighting up when she'd see him and her pudgy little arms reaching out to him, wanting to be picked up.

The man ate up the attention, often bringing little gifts for the baby, her favorite being the plush blue hippo that Felicity knew cost more than any stuffed animal ever should. But she didn't put up a fuss, as she'd caught him whispering about Oliver to Marie several times and knew he hurting just as much as Thea and Moira and she didn't want to be the one to make him clam back up.

So she, Thea, Marie and Tommy could often be found in the media room, laughter filling the air as they joked and played around, content to just be. There was no one reminding them of the people they'd lost or the pain they were in; it was just enjoyable evenings with entertaining movies and good company. Thea and Tommy even told funny stories about Oliver that actually managed to lighten the mood, the two starting to really heal, for which Felicity was thankful.

Moira even spent some time with them, but the older woman wasn't as comfortable relaxing around Tommy, as she still had trepidation about his father and whatever he had planned, so she used the time the young man came over to go out with Robert's friend and current CEO of QC, Walter Steele.

For the first time since the accident she was able to be around a man and actually enjoy herself, to begin to open up to another person again. He was patient and undemanding, just wanting to help her heal, letting her know he was always there for her, night or day and that he was always willing to listen if she needed to talk. It wasn't much of a wonder that she found herself falling for him more and more every day.

And tonight she was going on her official first date with Walter, as she'd kept their meetings to herself so as not to hurt Thea's feelings. But she was ready to put the past behind her and move on to her future, which she was hoping included Walter. She'd always love and miss Robert, but he wasn't coming back and she couldn't stay in the cocoon of mourning and isolation any longer. As for Oliver, well, she'd never get over losing her son, no matter how many years passed.

"Are you sure I look alright?" Moira asked once more as she put in her diamond earrings, glancing at the simple blue cocktail dress she wore.

"You look great mom. Walter won't be able to keep his eyes off you." Thea reassured with a tight smile from where she sat next to Felicity on Moira's large bed. They'd helped her decide on which outfit was best for the date and helped the older woman calm her nerves, as she hadn't been out on a first date in more than twenty-five years and needed a few pep talks.

"The dress is simple but elegant, Moira." Felicity smiled when her eyes met the older woman's in the mirror, getting a smile of thanks before Moira was sliding in her heels.

"Are you sure you'll both be alright?" She asked, grabbing her small clutch.

"We'll be fine mom! Go." Thea hoped off the bed and lightly pushed her mother towards the door, making Moira laugh before she pulled the girl into a hug.

"Don't stay up too late, Thea. You've got riding lessons in the morning." The brunette gave a sigh and rolled her eyes as she stepped away, hating she wasn't going to get to sleep until noon like she'd planned.

"Yeah yeah." Moira just chuckled and smoothed a hand over her daughter's hair.

"You both have a good night and I'll see you in the morning."

"Have fun." Moira waved to Felicity before she ducked out of the room, heading towards the front parlor, where Walter was waiting. Felicity slowly got off the bed and came over to where Thea was standing, the girl's attention having shifted to a framed picture of her parents that was sitting on the table next to the door.

"So are you really okay with this?" She questioned quietly, wrapping an arm around the girl's hunched shoulders.

"I guess. I just…I miss him." Thea whispered, fingers tracing her father's face.

"I know you do." Felicity squeezed her shoulders, which began to shake as Thea lost the battle with her emotions. Turning, she threw herself at the new mother, body shaking as she sobbed into the blonde's chest.

Felicity worked the picture out of her hand and sat it back on the table before wrapping both arms around the brunette, hands stroking soothingly over her back. There wasn't any more she could do, as there were no words that could ever make the pain of losing a parent and sibling easier to bear. It was a throbbing pain that'd be with Thea the rest of her life, no matter what.

The two remained like that for several minutes until Thea's cries trailed off into hiccups and sniffles. Felicity pulled back, wiping the lingering tears away with her thumbs and giving Thea a sad smile.

"Why don't we go get some ice cream? I'm sure Raisa has some stashed in the freezer." Thea gave a little nod as she rubbed at her face, not sure what had brought on the waterworks. But she felt a little better, as if a pressure that'd been pressing into her since she found out about her mother's date had eased a little.

"It's alright to be upset your mom is starting to date, Thea; natural, even. But I think it's also good your mom is getting back out there. She looks happy." Felicity murmured as they started down the hallway, the baby monitor jiggling against her hip from where it was clipped into her belt.

"Yeah. I want her to be happy. I just…I miss my dad. And Oliver. I miss them so much." Thea's lips trembled as she twisted her hands in front of her.

"I know. But I think it's time for you to start moving forward too. You'll never be able to replace either of them, but you can be happy, Thea. And you deserve to be happy." The brunette looked up at her before she gave her a hug, making Felicity smile as she squeezed her back.

"You and Marie make me happy. It's like I got a piece of Ollie back, but I also got a sister and niece too."

"Good. Now let's go make some sundaes." The two shared a smile before they hurried down the stairs, ice cream beckoning.

/*/

"Excuse me, Ms. Smoak, but there are guests for you at the door. Should I bring them into the den?" Felicity's eyes shot up to Raisa, who stood at the door, a brow raised in question.

"Uh, no, I'll go to them. Thanks Raisa." The blonde said, blushing at the mess she'd made of the den.

It was one of the rare days that both Moira and Thea were out of the house, leaving Felicity and Marie alone. And she'd taken full advantage, building a pallet of blankets and pillows for them on the floor in front of the television. She'd been vegging out watching the sixth season of _Buffy_ while Marie played with her stuffed toys for the last couple of hours and enjoying every minute of it.

Quickly getting up, Felicity brushed off the popcorn that'd fallen into her lap before scooping Marie up, with baby tucked into her chest, the blonde started towards the entrance hall, giving Raisa a smile as she passed, the Russian wiggling her fingers at Marie to get a laugh.

"Surprise!" Felicity jumped at the shouted word, mouth dropping open in surprise.

"Mom, Dad? What are you—Robin?" The blonde was suddenly babyless and being hugged tightly, Marie having been stolen by an overeager grandmother.

"My grandbaby! Oh I've missed you." Charlotte cooed at the child, kissing her soft cheeks and making Marie giggle as her hands came up to cutch at the silver necklace that was dangling from the woman's neck.

"What are you guys doing here? Not that I'm not happy to see you, because I am, obviously. But this is the Queens' house and I don't know how Moira'd feel about surprise guests. I mean, I'm sure she wouldn't mind, but she tends to like warning before people just drop by. Not that—"

"Just breath, pumpkin." Steven said with a smile, pulling her out of Robin's arms to give her a tight hug and a kiss on her cheek before turning to his wife and granddaughter.

"Your parents wanted to surprise you and I convinced them to let me tag along. I was missing my BFF and my favorite niece. This place is awesome, by the way. You sure know how to pick 'em. Well, Andrew was a douche, but never mind." Robin said, shrugging as she leaned around Charlotte to make faces at Marie.

"And since you seemed reluctant to introduce us to Mrs. Queen, your father and I had to take matters into our own hands. She invited us to stay the weekend so we could all get to know each other; we are all family now, after all." Charlotte said, giving her daughter the arched brow look that told her she was in trouble. It was ridiculous that she was twenty and her mom could still make her feel like a naughty child.

"You talked to Moira?" She asked in surprise, looping her arm with her dad's as she leaned against his side, realizing how much she'd missed her family while she'd been away.

"Yes. We've actually spoken a few times, as we both felt Marie needed grandparents that at least knew each other. And she arranged so that we could spend time with you before dinner." The older version of Felicity continued, bouncing Marie in her arms and smiling at the loud giggles it caused.

"Look, I'm sorry I didn't invite you guys, I just…I didn't want to rush things. They're still hurting and I just wanted them to have this time with Marie to heal a little." Felicity said, her mom's eyes softening and a small smile gracing her lips as she handed Marie to Robin so she could embrace the blonde.

"You're such a good girl." She said softly, stroking the soft curls before stepping back.

"Now go get changed, I want to go out for lunch and see a little of the city." Sighing, Felicity rolled her eyes but took Marie from her friend and headed towards the stairs.

"I'll show you to the den to wait." Raisa's voice spoke up, startling them as they hadn't heard the maid arrive. The blonde knew her mess was probably already cleaned up and made a mental note to thank the woman as she started towards her room, feeling bad she'd had to clean up after her. She'd tried to be self-efficient since she'd been there and didn't like anyone having to clean her messes, even if that's what they were paid for.

"I'm gonna help Izzy pick something to wear." Robin waved before dashing after her friend, bumping their hips together when she reached her.

"I'm missed you Izzy." Robin said as she looped her arm with the one that wasn't holding Marie, the blonde giving her a smile as they made their way into the east wing and to the room Felicity had been given.

"Me too. I'm glad you came."

"Of course I'd come to see you! Even if we'll be going back to school in a couple of weeks." The two shared a smile, Felicity handing Marie to her friend so she could open her closet to pick something to wear.

"How was the Europe?" Robin had spent her summer backpacking around, spending her days languishing on beautiful beaches and seeing ancient ruins with several of their friends. They'd been planning the trip since the year before and Felicity had been on the list until she'd hooked up with Oliver and gotten pregnant. Not that she regretted it, because she didn't. She just really wanted to visit the Louvre and sip wine in an Italian vineyard.

"It was alright. It would've been better with you. Carly wouldn't have slept with an old French dude if you'd been there." She said, laughing and shaking her head while she snuggled Marie against her chest as she sat on the huge bed.

"She didn't." Felicity's eyes widened in surprise, making her friend laugh more and nod.

"Oh but she did. Poor girl won't ever live it down. So how's the life of a billionaire compare to your old one?"

"I'm not a billionaire, Robin. And the Queens are just like any other family, with their ups and downs. They do have more refined tastes though." Felicity replied, pulling out a pretty pink sheath dress that she slipped on and paired with black heels. It wasn't super casual, but it also wasn't fancy, meaning it was perfect.

"Oh I've seen the articles girlie. So you and Tommy Merlyn." Robin grinned at the blonde's flush and eye roll.

"I told you not to believe anything they write. Tommy and I are just friends."

"Hmm." Ignoring the laughter in her friend's voice, Felicity went into her bathroom to brush her hair into a pony tail and apply some light makeup. Once done she went into the adjourning nursery and pulled out a purple dress for Marie, also grabbing up the diaper bag and making sure it had everything before returning to her room.

"So what're you gonna do after December?"

"What do you mean?" The mother asked, taking Marie and pulling her onesie off, checking her diaper before sliding the dress up her small body and buttoning it into place.

"Well you're going to graduate, so are you gonna stay up in Boston or return to Coast City? Or are you gonna come back here?"

"I don't know. Moira is trying to woo me to come work for Queen Consolidated, which would put us closer to both grandparents. But you're not graduating until May and I'd miss you." Felicity shrugged, picking her daughter up and positioning her on her hip, Robin sliding the diaper bag over her shoulder.

"I think QC would be a good fit for you, Izzy. Close to the family but not so close your mom would drive you crazy all the time. Me and Carly'll be fine at school, even if we'll miss you. I'm going to be a radio dj, so wherever there's radio, I can work; say in Starling."

"You'd move here?"

"Course I would. What's the point of having a great job if you don't have any friends to hand out with? We'll make Starling City our bitch."

"Baby ears!" Felicity said with a laugh, having missed her friend more than she'd realized. She'd known Robin since the second grade, when she'd made a couple of girls that'd been picking on Felicity to cry, and she hated being away from her for so long. After her Lizzy's death, Robin was the closest thing she had to a sister and Felicity didn't ever want to lose her.

She still wasn't sure what she planned to do after graduation, as she'd had to change her plans when Marie'd been born. Now she had to think about what was best for Marie, which included needing flexible work hours and available daycare. She'd end up going wherever their needs were met the best, even if that wasn't Queen Consolidated.

/*/

After spending the afternoon wandering the city, the group came back to the mansion to have dinner with the Queens. And while everyone was very civil and gracious, there was an undercurrent of jealousy that made Felicity uncomfortable.

Thea was jealous over the bond between Felicity and Robin and the fact that Robin labeled herself as Marie's aunt. The girl wanted the two all to herself, even if it was a little irrational, and the kept shooting Robin dirty looks that had the older woman arching a brow but shrugging it off. When you were Thea's age, it wasn't uncommon to get attached to your friends and get upset when they had other friends besides you, so Robin didn't take it personally.

For Moira, she was jealous over Charlotte and Steven, as she'd grown very devoted to Marie and didn't like sharing her with another set of grandparents. Of course, the woman was much too sophisticated to ever let her feelings be known, but it didn't stop the small seed of upset from being planted in her stomach. She'd simply have to get used to sharing her granddaughter, as Marie wasn't just hers and would be going to Boston with Felicity in two weeks anyway.

Felicity just enjoyed having everyone together and breathed easier when the adults all seemed to get along, keeping up a conversation with Thea to make sure the girl remained engaged as well. It was a little tense starting out, but when Robin began speaking about fashion, the girl lit up like a Christmas tree and the two quickly got lost in a discussion of the fall collection. The blonde just smiled, as she didn't have the faintest what they were talking about, but was glad they were actually talking now.

Charlotte, Steven and Robin stayed the weekend, spending time with Felicity and the Queens. It was important to all of them that Marie knew she was loved by them all, so they put aside any hurt feelings they might have over having to share the child, as it was best for her to have both sides of her family on good terms. And it wasn't the others' fault for existing, so they all just had to realize that the minute Moira invited Felicity to spend the summer had changed their lives forever.

After they left, Moira and Thea spent almost every minute with the new mother and daughter, realizing their time was coming to a close and they didn't want to waste any time they did have. It was a little stifling for Felicity, but sure endured because she knew it's what the Queens needed and she just wanted them to be happy.

But their time did come to a close sooner than they'd like, as Felicity and Marie were both headed to Boston before they knew it. It was a sad day in the Queen Mansion, but Moira had sworn they'd be taking trips up the east coast to see them when they could, as she didn't want Marie to forget who they were by a prolonged absence.

That, as well as making sure QC offered Felicity the best internship available was all she could do while she waited to see if she was going to be kept from her granddaughter if Felicity took another company's offer. She just had to cross her fingers and hope for the best.

**AN: Okay, so I know the chapter wasn't as good as the last one, but I just had to get this out so we could move on. I apologize if it was a letdown or if there were many mistakes. I don't have a beta for this so I only catch so much. Please let me know what you guys thought. Thanks!**


	5. Chapter 4

**AN: Hey guys, so sorry for the delay. The chapter was supposed to be up a while ago. Thank you all so much for the amazing support and actually reviewing. I really appreciate hearing from each of you and getting to know what you guys think. Thanks to WinterRain36 again for the ideas.**

Batgirl2992: Thanks for reading! I'm so glad you like it so far.

A: Thanks! I've tried to develop the characters so they fit with how I envision the story, but will also fit into the show. I know these chapters are a little slow, but Oliver is coming back soon, I promise.

Guest: Sorry for the delay! I'm glad you like the story so much!

OlicityAlways: Thanks!

Guest: Thanks!

Deargoodbye: Don't suffocate! Here's the next chapter!

CassandraBlake: Here you go. Sorry about the delay.

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Arrow or DC Comics.**

Chapter 4: Family Moments

Returning to school in the fall wasn't as easy as Felicity had thought it'd be. Not only did she have to pump between classes to avoid leaking, which was really gross and embarrassing, but she had to learn how to juggle being a full time student and mother. It'd been easy over the summer as she'd been able to work when she liked, but now she had to adhere to a strict schedule and it made her life very difficult.

But the hardest part of her new situation was the time she had to spend away from Marie. Before now, she'd had her daughter with her almost constantly since birth; and now she spent half the day in classes, her daughter always on her mind.

She could never understand how some women could just abandon their children or even leave them in the care of others just so they could go about their days undisturbed, as she hated being away from her child. It literally hurt to walk out the door each morning and leave Marie to the care of her nanny, as all she wanted to do was stay.

Not that Rachel, the nanny Moira had insisted she hire as she came highly recommended by 'friends' (meaning other ridiculously rich people), wasn't very capable of looking after the 7th month old, because she was. It was just that she wanted Marie around her all the time so she could make sure she was safe and sound and never wanted for anything.

Felicity knew she was being a little irrational as Marie had never once been in danger, but her maternal instincts were in hyper drive. So even with knowing her daughter was fine, she still constantly texted Rachel for updates, just to make sure nothing was wrong.

Robin, who shared the apartment with them, found it all very funny, much to Felicity's annoyance. The first day of classes, the blonde had called or texted Rachel almost twenty times just to 'check in' and Robin never stopped teasing her about it. The nanny took it in stride, as she was used to first time moms and their irrationality when it came to their babies.

As time went on, Felicity began to relax and trust the woman, knowing she'd alert her if there was ever an emergency. Not that her 'check ins' stopped, of course, but she'd tapered them down to a few texts every few hours, which was progress in her book. It was the best she could do, because Felicity would never truly be at ease until Marie was within eyesight, no matter who was watching her.

On top of having to deal with her apparent separation-anxiety, the courses she was taking were hard and time consuming. The plan had always been to graduate university early so she could get started on her career quickly and hopefully be in charge of her own department by 25; now she cursed that plan. She wanted to be done with school, obviously, but she'd never even imagined having a baby to care for while also trying to graduate early. It was exhausting.

Which made her even more grateful for Robin being such an amazing friend. While Rachel went home after she returned from class, Robin was always around if she needed a helping hand. While she could refuse and claim she had better things to do or parties to attend, the woman always offered to watch Marie whenever she saw Felicity needed some peace and quiet, either to finish schoolwork or to just get an hour nap. Felicity didn't know how she'd ever gotten so lucky to have Robin as a friend, but she was grateful nonetheless.

It didn't hurt that Marie was well loved and spoiled by all of her mother's friends. Every time Carly or Sabrina stopped by, they'd have a small present for the baby, even when Felicity said it wasn't necessary. No one seemed to be able to resist the dimpled smile and bright baby blues, even when they ended up slobbered on. Marie just had a magnetism that drew everyone to her, much to her pleasure.

The 7 month old never found a person she couldn't charm into falling in love with her. Even the stodgy librarian had fallen and offered to watch her when Felicity needed to search for a book on advance coding. The mother attributed it to something Marie had gotten from Oliver, but those that knew her knew it had more to do with Felicity than the lost man. While Oliver had been charismatic, the mother and daughter shared the same innocence and goodness that drew people in like moths to a flame.

Not that it helped her love life, as she hadn't been on a date since she'd broken up with Andrew last April; she did not count sleeping with a stranger a date, even if it did end quite nicely. She just didn't have the extra energy to put into having a real, meaningful relationship with a man. Even when Robin tried to get her to just do another hook-up to 'grease her wheels' (Robin's words), Felicity refused, content to just focus on Marie and staying at the top of her classes. Besides, there weren't many men her age that wanted to get involved with a woman that had a baby. Their loss.

But she didn't have time for a man anyway, or to even miss having one really. Not only as her time split between Marie and school, but she had guests nearly every weekend. She was convinced her mother and Moira had formed a schedule, as their visits alternated so they all got ample time with Marie and Felicity. And while she enjoyed spending time with them all, the blonde was starting to feel a little suffocated.

But they were her family, so she just put up with it. Besides, she never wanted any of them to feel like she was keeping Marie from them, no matter how tiring their visits tended to be. Thank goodness she found relief with Thea, as the young teen was content to just hang out in the apartment and gossip. She never demanded anything more of the new mother, for which she eternally thankful for. It was a really good thing she'd be graduating in December. She only had a few more months of overbearing grandparents (really, grandmothers would be more accurate).

Or at least, she hoped they eased up once she'd moved back to the west coast. Fingers crossed.

/*/

Thanksgiving was…an experience. Instead of splitting her time between cities, Felicity insisted they all get together, as they were all family now. Charlotte had then demanded they come to her, as she'd been cooking Thanksgiving dinner since her mother had passed away, and she wasn't willing to give up the tradition, even when it gave her a ton of work. Moira, thankfully, didn't put up a fight, as it'd been years since she'd even cooked a meal, let along the beast that was thanksgiving.

Felicity and Thea ended up in the kitchen helping Charlotte make pies and ending up covered in flour, the room filled with laughter. Moira, who held Marie while Steven took pictures and talked about this and that, tried not to feel jealous over the ease the other woman had with Thea. Robert had always understood the headstrong girl better and had been able to get through to her; Moira had always felt a little distant from both her children and she had come to hate it.

Regret over passing them both off to a nanny so she could get her hair done or go to a gala ate away at her, especially in regards to Oliver. The way they'd been raised had been the norm for people of their pedigree; but seeing how close Charlotte and Felicity were, even when they argued, she wished she'd spent more time with both her children while they grew up.

Moira was trying to correct that now with Thea, spending more time with the teenager and taking a more hands-on approach to motherhood. She'd already lost so many years that she refused to miss any more. And the elegant woman was determined Marie would grow up never doubting how much she was loved and cherished. And she'd do whatever was necessary to keep them safe from Malcolm Merlyn.

Thea, who'd never even boiled water, was quite proud of her cheery pie, even though it was a little misshaped and one side burnt. She presented it to her mother with a beaming smile, which Moira returned and said how delicious it smelled. Happiness had settled in her heart, for the first time completely overshadowing the feeling of loss and sadness that were forever etched into her soul. She'd never fully heal, but moments like this made it a lot easier to see a future that had more laughter than tears. Thea would always be grateful to Felicity for giving her that and she'd try and repay her in any way she could.

The day was thankfully without any bickering, as they were all still getting to know each other. Plus, they were all pretty laid back and tempers didn't flare, much to Felicity's relief. The house was filled with good conversation and laughs, Marie's high-pitched giggles keeping everyone's spirits raised. It was just as Felicity had hoped it would be. It was a great day.

/*/

Felicity graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Saturday, December 13, 2008. Because of her rigorous curriculum that allowed her to graduate 17 months early, she was given the rare 'Egregia cum Laude' honors, to which her father nearly cried over in pride. She hadn't seen him so emotional since Marie was born, which she found both funny and endearing, making love for him swell her heart. She was very lucky to have such an amazing man as her father.

/*/

After graduation, Felicity spent a few days hanging with her girls before she headed back to Coast City with Marie, not knowing when she'd see them next, as Robin was the only one that lived on the west coast. She hoped this wasn't where their friendship ended and Carly and Sabrina ended up close to Starling City, but she decided to just enjoy the last few days she had instead of worrying about it. Besides, in this day and age, it was a lot easier to keep in touch with friends across the country, even if it wasn't the same as having them close by.

Charlotte and Steven were thrilled to have the two back home, the doctor cooking a large welcome home meal that left the new mother feeling ready to burst. The older woman might have over done it a little, especially since it wasn't like she'd gone more than two weeks without seeing them, but Felicity just smiled and let her dote on her and Marie, knowing her mom was still a little upset she'd decided to go with the Queen Consolidated offer.

But it was the best choice not only for her, but for Marie as well, which had been the deciding factor. Moira had understood that she'd refuse a high placement in the company, seeing it as nepotism and insulting; instead, the IT department had offered the position of intern, with the possibility of moving into a full time employee at the end of six months. It was the same offer they'd give to anyone in her position with her credentials, as they wished to see how the prospective person worked in the company before they gave away permanent positions, and Felicity appreciated that.

She never wanted anyone to ever question how she'd gotten her job or how she'd moved up the corporate ladder, as she planned to head the department in the future. There would be no way for the press or fellow employees to paint her as someone who took a handout; she was determined to show everyone that she deserved the success she hoped she'd have.

But the thing that really sold her on the proposal was that there was now a daycare/preschool offered to all QC employees, something that hadn't been present a few months ago. Apparently Moira was determined to get her back into Starling and had bought out the small café and coffee shop that occupied the two story building across the street from the QC headquarters and had them converted.

The daycare, which would look after infants and toddlers, was located on the bottom floor with the stairs leading upstairs blocked off to keep them from trying to go upstairs. The certified officials would play with them in a variety of ways, all geared towards readying the children to begin learning; such as teaching them their alphabet and numbers through fun games, as well as simple things like walking and talking.

The preschool was on the second floor and would take in children from three to five and focused on furthering their education so that they'd be ahead once they got to kindergarten. There were endless activities for the kids to take part in and stretch their creative muscles; they offered everything from dress up to foreign language lessons. There was even a small grassy area behind the building that was gated and had a playground so they could get sunshine and enjoy being outside.

Felicity, as well as the other parents of small children at QC, was thrilled with the availability of childcare so close to where she'd be working. Both floors were equipped with cameras that fed into a secure website that the parents could check to make sure their children were alright, as well as having security guards to make sure no one unwanted came near the children. It was a safe and convenient option that they were all more than happy to take advantage of; and Felicity was just happy she'd be able to pop in to check on Marie whenever she wanted.

With knowing she'd be moving to Staling City permanently after the winter holidays, Felicity tried to spend as much time with her parents as she could. It was easier for her dad, as he was now on break as well, while her mom was still constantly on call as the head neurologist, much to her dismay. But that was the life of being a doctor and helping to save people's lives, for which she was extremely proud to be a part of. Besides, much like they did while Felicity was in Boston, they could always drive down to Starling on the weekends, which Charlotte had off on the threat of bodily harm to anyone who called her in.

The holidays got a little complicated, as Marie was half Jewish, half Christian and Felicity didn't want her to miss out on any experience, especially since both sides of her family weren't exactly the strictest of followers. Hanukkah began at dusk on December 21 and ended at dusk on December 29, which meant Christmas was smack-dab in the middle and had mother and daughter traveling to Starling City for two days.

At first the Queens hadn't even been very open to celebrating their own holiday, as they'd not done it the year before as it was a stark reminder of those they'd lost, but Felicity had convinced them to get back in the holiday spirit for Marie's sake. This was her first Hanukkah and Christmas, and though she wouldn't remember it, her mother wanted the whole shebang for her so she could look back at pictures and see how much everyone loved her. It was time to start moving on and healing.

Instead of filling every room with a tree, which was very wasteful, Moira had one huge tree brought into the den, where the family always gathered. It had to be almost nine feet tall, the topper nearly brushing the ceiling; Felicity helped decorate the tree, as it was a first for her too and she got to enjoy it as she helped bring light back into the house that'd gotten oppressively somber.

Thea and Moira even laughed and sang Christmas carols, the heaviness in their hearts lifting with the presence of Felicity and Marie. It wasn't the same as having Robert and Oliver, but the holiday was a lot more pleasant than they'd thought it would be, as they paid homage to their fallen men instead of mourning them.

And of course, everything was all about Marie, in both families. Even Thea, who was used to getting all the attention since she was the baby in the family, had spent the majority of her time shopping for the little girl. Once a baby was brought into the family, it was just impossible to walk by any baby store and not step inside; this equated into Marie getting more toys and clothes than Felicity knew what to do with.

There was no way the quick growing infant would be able to wear all the things she'd been given. She'd have to donate the clothes once Marie got too big, as it was outrageous to let all of it to go to waste and she knew there were plenty of children in the city that needed clothing. This, of course, turned into a discussion with the Queen women that had them all traveling to the homeless shelter in the Glades Christmas morning and donating boxes full of clothes from Moira's and Thea's closets. It wasn't much to them, but for those that got a coat or a pair of shoes, it meant the world.

Felicity returned home after Christmas to spend the rest of December with her family and Robin, who'd returned from the trip she'd taken to New York with her boyfriend. It was only two weeks, but she enjoyed the time she had before she had to go, as she started work on the 12th and wanted to have some time to get adjusted.

/*/

Felicity officially moved into the Queen mansion on the 7th, this time being placed in a room in the west wing with the rest of the family, her room once more connected to another via bathroom. It was basically the same setup she'd had in the other wing, only now she was close to both Moira and Thea; and she actually got to decorate her room this time.

Well, when she says she got to decorate, she means Moira hired a decorator to help make the room feel like home. The blonde had wanted to get an apartment, but after talking it out with Moira, it made more sense to reside here, so she wanted a room that was an escape for her. It was all dark woods and bright colors, the little touches like her penguin pillow giving it a quirky vibe that she loved.

And she had the latest and best of the tech brought in. Her computer from the library was brought up and updated even more so that she had three monitors and enough processing power to make any IT department jealous. At the speed of development, she knew she'd have to replace them in a couple years, but they were her other babies and she loved them. It was one of the only times she'd actually used the trust Moira had given her, as the entire setup was quite pricey.

That Sunday found Felicity and Marie, both bundled up against the cold, seated in front of Oliver's gravestone, the 10th month old playing with the plush stuffed puppy that was also a learning toy, as it sang and taught different shapes and parts of the body when you pressed on the indicated areas, like the foot or ear. Marie absolutely loved it, which was proven by the slobber stains that married the tan fur. Felicity kept it washed, but she knew it was a lost cause and just let the baby enjoy herself, as she didn't know any better.

"I know it's been a long time since I was here last, but I wanted to let you know that we're back at the mansion. I graduated top of my class and am going to work at Queen Consolidated. Not that I took a hand out, mind you. I made it quite clear that I would work up from the bottom just like anyone else, which your mom and Walter have respected. So we won't be going away again.

"I'm not sure why I came. I just, I feel like you deserve to know about your daughter, even if you're not here to experience it all. It's been hard, to be honest, being an only parent, even when I'm surrounded by people. No matter how much the others love Marie, it's not the same as what a parent feels for their child, you know? I hate that you aren't here to have that too; I hate you can't share in the amazing moments.

"Marie's such a bright child and I know there's a lot of you in her; hopefully not the unsavory traits like promiscuity. She learned to walk when she was 9 months old and is already picking up words, even if she doesn't know what they all mean. It's incredible to just watch as she grows. I hope you'd have loved her as much as I do." Felicity murmured, tracing the cold marble engraving with her fingers as she spoke.

They sat out there for half an hour while she filled the quite grave in on everything that'd happened since she'd left for university, laughing over some of the antics Marie had gotten up to as she'd discovered the world around her. It would never make up for not having her father in her life, but Felicity hoped as she got older, the child felt a connection to him and made a note to continue these visits. She felt like it was the least she could do, even if she was just talking to a stone slab.

/*/

"Felicity!" Looking up at the happy shout from where she'd been hunched over the scanner that was not working, the woman in question was shocked to spy Robin, Carly and Sabrina all quickly heading towards her, drawing the attention of the other IT employees.

"W-what are you guys doing here?" Felicity asked in confusion.

"It's your 21st birthday! Duh. Like we'd miss it." Sabrina said with an eye roll as the three came to a stop in front of her.

"I—I must have forgotten." She said sheepishly.

"Well c'mon, we got to get made up so we can hit the town. No more fake ids for you!" Robin said happily, her voice carrying around the room. Felicity cringed as she pulled them towards her cubicle, not wanting anyone to have any more reason to treat her like a leper.

She really should have known the other QC employees would gossip about her when she started there, as it was splashed all over the tabloids that the mother of Oliver Queen's child was now working at his family's company. They'd tried to paint it in a poor light, but the claims didn't hold much weight since she was in such a low level position. That didn't stop them from talking about her and Marie behind her back though, and she didn't want to fuel the flames.

"I'm working. I don't get off until 6."

"Pishposh. Thea said you weren't supposed to come in today, so we're breaking you free. And we're not taking no for an answer." Carly said firmly, pushing past the taller blonde to rummage around the bottom drawer of her desk, looking for her purse.

"Carly!" Felicity pulled the woman away in exacerbation, getting an eye roll and three pairs of crossed arms. They were a united front and would not take no for an answer.

"Fine." She threw her arms up and sighed, getting smirks in reply before she quickly shut her station down and grabbed her belongings.

"Good girl. Let's hit up a salon before we head back to your place, as you are in serious need of a root touch-up babe." Robin said, looping her arm through hers and leading the group towards the exit, paying no mind to the curious looks from the male dominated department. It was her girl's big 2-1 and she would not let anything get in the way of celebrating it.

"I need to pick up Marie from daycare."

"Moira already picked her up and assured us they'd be perfectly fine while you go out and enjoy yourself for once. When was the last time you went out? Because I only recall hitting up one Halloween party for an hour before you ducked out." Carly chatted as they headed to the elevator and then down to the underground parking lot.

"I'm a mother now, I can't just—"

"Eh, don't even pull that card, Izzy. You're still a hot piece of ass and deserve a night out with your girls. No excuses. Now to the salon!" Sabrina countered as they approached Felicity's car and the parked town car next to it, the chauffeur stepping out to open the door for them.

"We'll get our hair and nails done than head back to the mansion to get ready before heading out." Robin said and nodded as Carly and Sabrina slid into the town car.

"This all really isn't necessary."

"Maybe not, but it's happening. Now let's get going." Felicity knew she wasn't going to get her way no matter how much she argued. Sighing, she unlocked her car and wasn't surprised when her bestie slid into the passenger seat, knowing she would keep her from finding somewhere to hide.

Even though she hadn't planned anything for her birthday, Felicity had to admit that having three amazing girlfriends really did pay off in that regard. They spent a few hours getting their hair and nails done before returning to the mansion, where they were all apparently staying upon Moira's invitation, and went through the outfit possibilities. It was a Friday night and they planned to spend it in the clubs.

Thea loved her friends and enjoyed the fashion show they put on, her eyes bright and happiness in her face. If there was one thing she knew, even at only 13, it was fashion and she was more than able to give each woman critiques that helped them settle on dresses that complimented each of their figures. And even though it was January, they didn't shy away from the short skirts, as they planned to work up a sweat dancing and knew anything heavier would just make them miserable.

Felicity shook her head when she saw the stretch hummer limousine that was waiting out front for them, but held her tongue, knowing it was just part of the overall night her girls had planned. They left the mansion for Chef's Table; a 5 star restaurant that she was certain Moira had had to pull strings to get them a table at. She was proven correct when the bill wasn't presented to them; the waiter claiming it'd already been taken care of. But she didn't let it get to her, as it was a onetime thing and Moira's way of renegading on their agreement not to get her any presents. Sneaky woman.

After their delicious dinner that left them all feeling a little over stuffed, they headed towards the downtown area, where the most clubs were located. Apparently the plan was to club hop whenever they got bored of one place and the close grouping allowed them to go from one place to another without much hassle or walking. Which they were all thankful for, as their feet were killing them by the end of the night.

Felicity got a little more drunk than she'd planned, especially when they'd run into one Mr. Tommy Merlyn, who'd been astonished at her appearance and ordered them all a round when they told him it was her birthday. He found her drunken babble even more entertaining than her normal ramblings, wishing not for the first time that she hadn't hooked up with Oliver first so he could actually make a move.

But as much as he found her compelling, he would never cross that line. He'd not always been the best friend he could have been, so he was determined to be that to the adorable blonde, which meant keeping his hands to himself. He knew there wasn't any actual reason not to peruse her, as she hadn't actually had a relationship with Oliver, but he felt like he would be desecrating his friend's memory if he went after his baby mama.

Plus, he really was Felicity's friend and didn't want to do anything to jeopardize that. He wouldn't have hesitated even a year ago, but he thought he might actually be growing up a little. They were best as friends and he was determined to keep it that way.

Felicity had a blast, even if she drank more than she should have. It was nice to have a night off from mommy duties, even if she did check in with Moira at least five times. It wasn't something she'd make a habit of, as she still wasn't much of a partier, but it was a nice little breather that she hadn't realized she'd needed.

Her friends called it a successful mission as they tripped their way back up the stairs and headed towards the rooms they were staying in, their loud laughter carrying throughout the house no matter how much Felicity tried to quiet them. They all ended up piling into the large bed in Robin's guest room in a drunken heap, none of them even noticing when Raisa came in to place bottles of water and ibuprofen on the bedside table, along with dragging over a trashcan in case they couldn't reach the bathroom.

The Russian smiled at the sight, glad the blonde had had a night to just relax, as she worked too hard. She thought she was doing a remarkable job balancing being a working woman and a doting mother, made even more extraordinary when she refused a nanny. Raisa respected the woman very highly for her determination to be the main caregiver and wished her Oliver had gotten to see it. But some things just weren't meant to be, no matter how much they hurt.

All she could do now was wait for Marie to grow old enough to understand the stories she told of the man that'd practically been her own son. The precious girl would know as much about her father as she was able to tell and would never doubt that if he'd been there, he'd have loved her just as much as her mother did. That Raisa was absolutely positive about.

/*/

Marie's 1st birthday party was much more kid-friendly and had a lot less alcohol. She'd made several friends, or Felicity had befriended several of the women who had kids in the daycare, and they brought their kids over for the day. It was a lot more extravagant that she'd have planned herself, but Moira would accept nothing but the best for her only granddaughter.

The massive backyard looked like a small carnival had moved in, as there were portable rides, games, and a huge bounce house that the kids were in love with. Moira had invited all the children from the daycare/preschool and they ran around enjoying the party, even though the birthday girl was too young to appreciate it.

Instead, she and the other young ones were kept close to the parents in a large playpen that had a department store's worth of toys. It was all way over the top for the blonde's taste and she promised herself to make Moira rein it in next year, as she didn't even want to think about how much this all cost. But it was Marie's first birthday and she knew the grandmother was just trying to show how much she loved her, even if she did go overboard. And by the look she exchanged with Felicity, she knew it too.

But it was a good day and the children all had a great time and Felicity got some terrific pictures to put into her electronic baby book, which was more of a never ending photo album now, but whatever. It was nice to have pictures to look back on and remember, so she'd take as many as she liked, thank you very much.

/*/

The summer brought back a reminder of those that'd been taken from the Queen family, as the second anniversary of the official declaration of their deaths was somber and both Moira and Thea could not be brought back up in spirits. Walter had become a permanent figure in their lives as his relationship with the matriarch deepened, and the Englishman held her hand as she cried over the loss she'd never heal fully from.

Felicity kept her arm wrapped around Thea's waist as the teen buried her head in her shoulder, hating she never seemed able to fully escape from the pain. But it had been two years and she'd started healing, so the sting wasn't as severe as it had been last year, and hopefully it'd be even less next year. She wished she could have her brother back, but she wouldn't give up Felicity and Marie for anything and wasn't sure if she'd have them if she hadn't lost her brother.

The blonde tried to keep their minds off the past by insisting they spend the days they weren't stuck in the office outside in the sunshine, the group heading to the beach for some fun. The press had a field day with it, but they didn't let it bother them, as they were family and that was all that mattered. Nothing the gossip rags printed could take away the relationships they'd built with each other and the love they all shared.

/*/

Moira and Walter married in early September in a very small, private ceremony in the back yard. Thea was the maid of honor and Felicity a bride's maid while Marie, in all her excited 18 month old self, was the ring bearer/flower girl. There were only a handful of guests, all close friends to the family and the press was kept locked out.

The one picture they did manage to sneak of Felicity, through what she guessed was a very high powered zoom, was of her holding Marie and standing next to Thea and Tommy, all of them laughing happily while the newlyweds danced a few feet away. It was a great picture that had her hacking the magazine's server so she could steal it for her own album. Not that she'd every admit that. Like ever.

Thea was glad for her mom, glad she'd been able to find her own happiness, even if she did feel a pang of something at knowing her parents were no longer legally married. She was determined to find peace in her own life and she was starting to learn that other people besides herself mattered, even if her now 14 year old self had trouble accepting that at times. If Walter made her mom happy, than that was all that mattered.

And the teen had taken her own steps to put the past behind her as well. While she'd never, ever, forget her dad or brother, they were no longer the first thing she thought about in the mornings. Instead, she actually started trying in her school work, especially now that she was in high school, always going to Felicity whenever she needed help.

Before now, she'd been content to just float through school, confident her family name would keep her from being held back or flunked in the private schools she was enrolled in. But after meeting Felicity and seeing how smart she was, how unashamed of her mind she was, the girl was determined to make her new sister proud and prove that she was more than a pretty face. She didn't want to follow in her brother's footsteps, no matter how much she loved him, and was resolute in making something of herself.

Felicity, of course, was very proud of how much Thea was trying and was always willing to lend a helping hand, never wanting her to simply give up because it was hard. The worst thing anyone could ever do was to stop trying, and she instilled that same belief in the young girl. You were capable of a lot more than you thought you were as long as you never gave up and kept trying.

/*/

Things got very dark for the blonde in November, as she was knocked over the head on her way to the daycare after work on the 11th, the men grabbing her and whisking her away to an abandoned warehouse in the Glades. She was tied to a chair with her hands on the armrests and her feet tied to the legs of the chair, her kidnappers not bothering to feed her or give her water.

She was kept there for almost four days while the police searched for her, discouraging Moira from paying the ransom in hopes of finding them quickly. But the Queen matriarch had been livid and paid them on the second day anyway, wanting Felicity back as quickly as possible. The men held her a further two days in punishment for the payment taking so long, though the blonde thought it was to secure their getaway, as they'd disappeared on the third day and hadn't returned.

When the police finally found her, her skin was a greyish color and bruising marred her face, a testament that her captors hadn't been above slapping her around when her big mouth got the best of her. Her wrists were bloody and raw from where they'd rubbed the ropes, her ankles spared the same treatment only because she'd been wearing pants when she was abducted.

The first slap had made stars burst in front of her eyes and tears to threaten to fall, but she'd somehow kept her composure and refused to cry out. The thought that she would have had Marie with her if it'd been even ten minutes later kept anger in the forefront in her mind so her fear didn't consume her. If she hadn't had that to hold on to she doubted she'd have been able to get through those four days.

When she got back home, the first thing she did was hack Moira's bank account to trace the wire transfer, looking for her abductors. It took her almost three days before she was finally able to connect the account to a person, and then him to the group that'd grabbed her for no other reason than because they wanted the money and she was an easy target. She'd given the information to the police, anonymously, of course, and the men had been arrested the next day and the money transferred back to Moira.

Even as she was happy the men had been put behind bars, it did not diminish the terror she felt. As it was, nightmares became her constant companion, forcing her awake in the middle of the night in cold sweats and a scream stuck in her throat. The doctor had prescribed her sleeping pills that she hated to use, as she never wanted to be drugged and unable to hear if Marie needed her, but after the eight straight day of no sleep, she had to give in.

Moira had insisted she travel with a body guard, Martin Lewis, at all times, worried something like this would happen again or that Merlyn would get a similar idea and try to use Felicity or Marie to keep her in line. Felicity welcomed the sense of safety the man provided, even though it made her feel weak and didn't diminish the mental agony she suffered from.

After two months of jumping at every sudden noise or touch, Felicity knew she had to make a change as she refused to live her life in fear. She had to be strong for her daughter and herself, to put the pieces of her life back together and not let those men win.

Before Marie, she would have probably crumbled and not been able to function after the ordeal, but now she had someone who depended on her; she had someone to live for. So she enrolled herself into a self-defense class Detective Lance, the man who's headed her search party, recommended, pulling Thea into the class too, wanting the girl to be able to fight off an attacker.

It was…painful, to say the least. Unlike what she'd expected, the instructor taught them offensive as well as defensive maneuvers so they could subdue their opponent and not become a victim. They learned how to properly throw a punch without breaking their hands, something she wished she'd known in November so she could have taken her anger out on those responsible instead of her sparring partner. The knowledge was a little too late, but now she and Thea had it in case they ever needed it. They wouldn't be the easy targets again.

With the new knowledge, Felicity demanded her body guard be given to Marie, as she could now protect herself. Moira had been resistant, but the blonde hadn't backed down, wanting her own space again, and the matriarch had had to give in in the end. Mr. Lewis now guarded Marie, no matter where she went or who she was with, to make sure no one tried to grab the child or hurt her. It wasn't a great job, but he was well compensated for it. Plus, the little girl was just so damn adorable.

/*/

Felicity will never forget the day she ran into Laurel while she was out with Thea and Marie. They'd been getting ready to step into a chic little boutique that Thea claimed was the next big thing in Starling City when the beautiful woman had stepped out.

The look on her face when she'd seen Marie had been devastating. It had been so full of hurt and anger that Felicity had pulled the stroller closer to her while Thea greeted her, not missing the look but trying to ignore it.

It was worse when the picture appeared in the magazines, the reporters going into detail about Laurel's relationship with Oliver and the fact that he'd left on the yacht with her own sister after getting Felicity pregnant. It was absolutely horrible.

And it was very clear that no matter how many times her and Laurel ran into each other, which was increasing with the more functions she was attending, they'd never be more than distant strangers. Every time she was around the brunette, she felt the heat of her angry gaze and she had to swallow the rambles that always started to come forward, not wanting to make things even worse.

She could only hope that Laurel was able to find some type of solace eventually, as no one should have that much pain and fury buried under the surface. It certainly wasn't healthy for her or anyone around her.

/*/

Marie's 2nd birthday was more subdued than her first one under Felicity's demands, only the children she actually played with at the daycare invited. They decided on a Disney theme; instead of the backyard, the ballroom was converted into a media room that looked like it came out of Aladdin with all the bright colors and plush pillows. The kids were allowed to stay over since there were only a few of them and they ended up falling asleep watching movies, their sugar highs causing them to crash around 9.

Even though it was a lot smaller than the year before, Marie actually got to partake in this one and had a blast. Especially when they got to 'decorate' their own minicakes; meaning, of course, the children made huge messes as they used the edible paint and icing. But their laughter made the staff smile and shrug at Felicity's apology, just glad there was happiness in the house once more. It'd had too much sorrow in it for too long.

/*/

Felicity began dating again, now that Marie was older and didn't require her constant supervision. The relationships were never that serious, as the men she was surrounded by were intimidated by an endless supply of things she just couldn't help: her intellect, her computer prowess, the fact that she lived with the Queens-Steeles, and she was a mother to name a few.

Several of the guys had wanted to date her because it put them in the tabloids and they got their 15 minutes of fame. Of course, this made her angry and she'd used her newly learned skills to bring the guys to their knees before she'd marched off with her dignity. She was no one's steppingstone to getting famous and she had no problem dropping them.

The only constant male in her life besides Walter was Tommy, who she treasured. He was handsome and charming and everything, but she saw him as a friend, as he did her. It was a friendship that she couldn't do without, as he was always there when she needed him, no matter what time of day it was. He was Marie's uncle even though they weren't blood and hung out with them at least three times a week.

It was funny, really, how different he was around them than what his public persona portrayed him as. And according to the man himself, he'd earned his reputation fair and square and used to take pride in it.

But now he seemed to want to make a change in his life, at least to the point where he'd stopped sleeping around with any woman willing. Although, she thought that might have something to do with Oliver, who had just as bad a reputation, getting a girl pregnant by accident, which meant he could too. Scary thought, that. He might be maturing a little, but he was in _no_ way ready to be a father.

Those around her found it amazing how much the blonde's presence in their lives had changed them, all for the better. She brought out the best in people and made them want to live up to her expectations of them, even when those hopes were more imagined than actually there.

But whether imagined or not, her being there had those around her sitting up straighter and doing better, whether in school or just in life. It was remarkable actually, that one person could have such an impact on so many lives, They were all lucky to have met one Felicity Smoak.

**AN: So? Let me know what you think. Thanks for reading.**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: You guys! The number of reviews blew me away. Thank you so much! I didn't plan to write this until next week, but you were amazing, so I thought I'd do it now. And you're all so anxious for me to get to Oliver's arrival, so I wanted to get this out of the way. I hope you like it and will keep up the awesome reviews!**

Loulounana: You're more than welcome! Thanks for reading.

Guest: Thanks! Fico feliz que tenha gostado.

Galatea Black: Thanks!

Guest: Yes, I can't wait either. I hope his return is better too since I've changed the characters.

Guest: I'm writing soon! Glad you liked it.

Isa: Thanks! Yes, Oliver is coming back as the hood. Just not until the next chapter.

OlicityAlways: Thanks so much! I'm glad you liked it so much.

CassandraBlake: Here is more!

LalaWho: Merci! J'ai hâte au retour de Oliver trop. Et j'ai dû utiliser un traducteur pour cela, donc j'espère qu'il est sorti correcte.

Guestie: Sorry to leave you hanging, lol. But here is more!

**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Arrow or DC Comics.**

Chapter 5: Family Moments Pt. 2

"Maybe I should wear the red blouse." Thea fretted in front of her mirror, faces pinched as she looked at herself.

"You look great Thea. Beautiful." Felicity said from her spot on the chaise lounge that was in the walk-in closet for just that purpose. She'd been stuck in the closet for the last two hours while Thea tried on every outfit possibility, making the blonde's head spin at the whirlwind of colors.

"I have to look perfect." Thea contradicted as she headed back to the section of her closet that held her tops.

"Hon, I know you're nervous, but it'll be alright, I promise."

"What if I make a fool of myself? What if I spill something on myself and Aidan tells everyone and I become the laughing stock of the school?" The brunette asked, her voice going high in worry.

"Then he's not worth your time. You're Thea Queen, but more importantly, you're sweet and kind and smart. That's all that matters and Aidan would be stupid not to notice. But since he asked you out, I'm sure he sees how great you are already. And besides, you're not the one that can't stop her mouth from saying inappropriate things whenever nervous." Felicity gave a pout that made the teen laugh as she pulled out a dark teal viscose wool jersey top.

"Your babbling is cute, Lis. What do you think of this?" She asked, whipping her shirt off to put the jersey top on, completely at ease with Felicity seeing her in a bra. And she should be, as she'd kidnapped the woman and hadn't let her leave while she'd tried to find the perfect outfit for her first date.

"It's really pretty. It'd go well with this scarf." The blonde stood and walked to one of the built-ins, pulling on a panel, revealing the scarf holder that was usually hidden. It was scary how well she knew this closet.

"Ah, yes! How can you be so good at this when you dress like a not-so-sexy librarian?" The teen demanded as she snatched the peony printed scarf from her hands, heading back to the full length mirror.

"I dress appropriately! It's not like I'm interacting with investors or something. Jeez. No need to be mean."

"Sorry Lis, you know I didn't mean it like that. You're just so pretty that I don't get why you dress like you do." Thea spun around with an apologetic look, feeling bad she'd hurt the woman's feelings.

"So where's Aidan taking you?" Felicity asked, changing the subject, letting the matter go. The teen breathed a sigh before she went to her shoes and picked out her sued grey ankle boots.

"His father owns Chef's Table, so I'd assume there."

"The food is delicious, I'll give it that. But Thea—"

"What?" She looked up, confused at the tone. Felicity bit her lip as she walked to Thea and turned her so they were facing.

"I know his family has a lot of money and all that jazz that seems so important to some people. But don't let him use it as an excuse to be rude or mistreat you, alright? Don't let him do anything you don't want him to." The blonde said seriously.

"Aidan's harmless."

"Until he's not. Just be careful." Thea shook her head with a small smile.

"I always imagined it'd be my dad and Oliver that were giving me this talk before they went to threaten my date." Felicity's eyes clouded with sympathy before she pulled the girl into her arms for a tight hug.

"I'm sure they'd be more threatening than me. But if he tries anything, I can hack into every magazine in the city and leave bad reviews for the restaurant." Thea laughed as she pulled back.

"I'm not supposed to know about your hacking skills, remember."

"Oh, yeah, right. Pretend you didn't hear me say that." Felicity blushed, making the teen laugh even more.

"I'll be fine. Besides, I know how to take a guy down if he tries anything." She reminded the woman of their shared knowledge of self-defense with a dropped stance and raised hands.

"Right. Okay, you need to finish getting ready."

"I love you, Lis." Felicity's eyes watered a little at the soft words.

"I love you too Thea." They shared a smile before the blonde was finally able to escape the closet. She did love the girl, but damn she hated being dragged into the decision making process of deciding what to wear. It was exhausting.

Shaking her head, Felicity headed towards the nursery to check on Marie, who'd been put down for a nap. She hoped Thea had a good night, as she knew how traumatizing a first date could be. They were never a pleasant thing.

/*/

"I like this one more than the last. It's more open." Felicity said as she gazed around the medium sized living room that flowed into the kitchen, a large window brining natural light into the space. It was a little more industrial than she'd have liked, but they weren't shopping for an apartment for her.

"I do too. And it's not that far from the bus station, which is good since my car has died tragically." Robin said as she stepped out of the bathroom and back into the main living space.

"If you'd taken the QC job we could have carpooled." The blonde jabbed with a smile.

"Ah I didn't wanna to hone in on your territory Izzy. So why haven't you gotten your own place yet? I'd have thought the constant noise and interruptions woulda sent you packin' a long time ago. The Izzy I remember used to yell at us in her loud voice if we disturbed her while she was workin'." The redhead said with a smirk.

"Yeah, well, having a kid really changes the need for quiet." Felicity shrugged as she moved to the window to see the view, which was of the surrounding apartments. The apartment was only on the third floor, so they couldn't see over the neighboring buildings. But it could be worse; the apartment could look out onto a construction site or highway. So yay.

"The real reason?" Robin pushed, knowing the blonde too well to fall for that explanation. Felicity sighed and crossed her arms as she leaned against the exposed brick wall.

"I just…it's like my second home now, you know. And Marie has a schedule and she as constant access to her aunt and grandmother. I don't want to disturb that, at least not now; maybe when she's older and isn't always running to play with Thea or Moira. The house is big enough that I can be alone when I want to, but it's also full of people for when I don't. It just makes sense right now." She shrugged.

"That makes sense, I guess. Are you sure you don't want to move back in with me though? We could find a three bedroom with a little yard."

"Robin, I love you to pieces, but you'd through us out the first night. Our dance parties have gotten even louder than they used to be and Marie's not afraid to let us know when she'd upset about something. Not to mention she has a body guard that goes with her everywhere when she's not inside the mansion, and even then she's watched closely."

"I don't know how you can live like that."

"I adjusted. And I realized that a little discomfort is worth it as long as Marie is safe; plus, the burly men really come in handy when the paps are stalking us and making it hard to get around. But you'd hate it." Felicity said, stepping away from the wall to loop her arm with her friend's. The two headed back out of the apartment, the relator waiting in the hallway.

"I'll rent it."

"Great. I'll go back to the office and draft up a rental agreement."

"Alright. I'll come by tomorrow to sign it. Thank you Mrs. Jones."

"You're welcome." The relator smiled before she relocked the door and headed off, pulling her phone from her purse as she went.

"Now that I'm not homeless anymore, let's get somethin' to eat."

"Sure. I've heard there's a good burger place near here. I think it's called Big Belly Burger."

"I'm sold." The friends headed out, glad they were once more in the same zip code and could now hang out more. It definitely beat them being on different coasts.

/*/

Felicity thought being kidnapped and held for ransom would be the most terrifying moments of her life for a long time. Oh how she was wrong. So very, very wrong!

Trying to teach Thea Queen to drive scared ten years off her life, if not more. As per California law, once Thea was 15 ½ she could get her permit and start working towards a provisional license that she was hoping to get when she was 16. But for that she actually had to pass her driving test, and Felicity, the moron she was, had volunteered to teach her.

She'd never feared for her life so much.

Thankfully the Queen estate was large and had a very long drive way, which they started off on. Unfortunately, the drive was also lined with trees, two of which were either side swiped or rammed into. They'd been lucky they'd been going slow or else they'd both probably be dead.

Like she said, it was a terrifying experience.

In the end, it'd taken months to get Thea comfortable behind the wheel. And the installation of a signal scrambled behind the dash and the removal of the radio had helped in keeping the teen's attention on where it was supposed to be, the road.

Thea didn't know about the scrambler, of course, but they'd ventured out to the city for more close-courters driving when she'd gotten a text from a friend and had nearly driven into the next lane. After she'd stopped quaking, Felicity had determined there was no way the girl could be trusted to focus on the very difficult task of being a safe driver when she was so attached to her phone.

And don't get her wrong, she understood. Felicity always had her phone and tablet handy, but not when it came to driving. Even before Marie she'd been a careful motorist, knowing she was handling a deadly weapon that could lose control for any number of reasons. For that, she always left her phone in her purse and refused to answer it while on the road, as she really didn't want to kill herself or anyone else.

Thea also had to take a defensive driving class that helped her realize the dangers, as they weren't afraid to show the students horrifying pictures of car wrecks. It was sobering, to say the least. Add to that Moira refused to buy a flashy sports car for her daughter, instead choosing a much safer choice in a 2010 Ford Fusion.

Thea was upset, as she'd wanted a shiny silver sports car, but Moira had a more hands-on approach to parenting now and she put her foot down. Besides, the teen couldn't drive very far or late until she turned 18, so there really wasn't a reason for her to even have a car. So Thea sucked it up and thanked her mother, as the car was still really nice, even if it wasn't a Lexus or BMW as she'd expected.

And Felicity made the argument that on average, most drivers wrecked their first car, so there wasn't a point in spending so much money on a nicer vehicle when it would just turn into scrap metal anyways. After the dents and scratches Thea had put into the car they'd used in their lessons, the blonde won the argument and Thea gave up, knowing she couldn't will against both Felicity and her mom.

But hopefully she'd get the car she wanted when she turned 18 after a couple years of further practice. Because she really, really wanted a Porsche.

/*/

And she did wreck the Ford. Her tire had popped from a pothole on a back road as she'd been going around a bend, sending the car swerving until it veered of the road and hit a tree. But luckily she'd been fine and the car had been able to be fixed without too much trouble. And the large pot hole had been filled in before she could sue the city, making it safer for other drivers who didn't have the resources she did. So that was good.

Felicity was the bigger person and didn't say 'I told you so'. But she thought it. Loudly.

/*/

Marie's third birthday was held at the zoo, which was a blast. Moira got the entire place shut down for the day and the children had free rein of the zoo. Of course they were closely watched to make sure no one tried to get into the reptile tanks or into the tiger enclosure, but they could go from one area to the next as often as they wanted. Marie spent a lot of the day in front of the penguin exhibit, as they were apparently her favorite animal.

They spent her fourth birthday at Disneyland. Charlotte had been delighted, as they hadn't visited since Felicity was small and she'd always loved it there. She might be a head surgeon and brilliant, but she loved her some Disney. They stretched their stay over two days and had a great time that Marie would always remember.

/*/

Felicity started dating Ryan Dennis, a software developer. He was tall and kind of geeky, but he was polite and nice. While he didn't make her heart race or her palms sweat, it was nice to have a solid relationship, especially since it'd been forever since she'd last had sex. It was wrong, she knew it, but he was good in bed and she'd missed being with a man enough to draw the relationship out longer than it should have been.

In the end, they broke up because they just didn't love each other like they wanted. There was no passion between them. Yes, they could have heated debates about the latest software or how best to break a firewall, but it never turned into them being so caught up in the moment that they started ripping their clothes off. And she wanted that.

Not to mention, Ryan got all pissy when she was promoted to head developer above him. Yes, he'd been there longer than her, but everyone knew she was the best for the job. Since she'd been at QC, she'd already created several programs that improved their internal security. Ryan had claimed she'd gotten the job because of her connection with the Queens and that she'd basically slept her way there, even though Oliver was dead.

Felicity had kneed him in the crotch and delivered a right hook that left her knuckles burning. She'd refused to speak to him since and had made it clear to those in the department that were friendly to her that she'd earned her new position. The prick would not make anyone believe she'd gotten favoritism. It wasn't her fault he had an only above average IQ and often missed critical defects in the software. Jerk.

Felicity was fine with the break up, even though she'd gone through a pint of mint chocolate chip once she'd gotten home, more because she loved the ice cream than because she was sad. The thing she'd miss most was having a bed buddy, as Ryan hadn't been bad in that regard. Too bad it didn't translate to the rest of his person.

/*/

Thea finally used the breakup as a reason to finally get the blonde to change her look. She drug Felicity to the best boutiques in the city and helped the older woman put together a stylish and sexy wardrobe that didn't diminish from her authority. Her dresses, while tight, were a good length. Well, according to Thea; Felicity thought they could be a little longer, but the teen wouldn't hear of it. Being behind a computer didn't mean she had to look like she belonged there. Or something. Felicity just went with it because there was no reasoning with a Queen when they were like this. Stubborn mules.

/*/

"I am such an idiot." Felicity looked up as Tommy slumped onto the empty space next to her, his head hanging back in misery. Spying Marie was playing with Cassie in the sandbox, the mother turned her attention to her friend, biting back a laugh at how pathetic he looked.

"What'd you do now?" He grumbled before looking at her, his lips in a pout as he gave her his best puppy-dog eyes. Which were impressive, truth be told.

"You have to promise you won't be mad at me." Curiosity piqued, the blonde arched a brow at him, her expression telling him he'd better get talking. Sighing, the gorgeous billionaire's shoulders slumped.

"I may have slept with Laurel." He mumbled. She would have missed it if she hadn't been sitting so close.

"You slept with…Laurel?" She asked for clarification, eyes wide. Tommy's eyes squeezed shut as he nodded, hands twisting in his lap.

"Oh, wow. Okay. Why would I be mad?" Shifting his shoulders, Tommy looked out over the park she liked to come to.

"Because it's _Laurel_." He said, as if that explained everything.

And it did, in a way. She and the pretty lawyer had never gotten along very well, as there was too much tension and baggage between them. And even though she'd not even known Laurel had existed when she'd slept with Oliver, there was always an undercurrent of blame and anger that rolled off the other woman that made her uncomfortable and irritated.

She'd tried to explain things to her once, but the brunette hadn't wanted to hear her, too consumed with her rage. So Felicity had just let it go and tried to avoid running into her if she could. When they were at the same functions, the two exchanged pleasantries if it was mandatory, like when Detective Lance wanted to see how she was doing, but other than that, there was complete silence between them.

She didn't really mind, as she really didn't have anything in common with Laurel anyway. Well, besides her taste in men apparently. But besides that, they were very different and even without Marie between them, she didn't think they'd get along very well. They were apples and oranges.

"Tommy, you're a grown man and a friend. I don't care who you sleep with as long as you're being safe and the woman's single. Laurel is single, isn't she?"

"Yeah. I just…I feel like I betrayed you or something." Felicity took his hand in hers and gave it a squeeze.

"Are you sure it's me you feel you've betrayed?" She asked quietly, her comment pulling his eyes until they met hers.

"W-what?"

"You know what, Tommy. Or who, really. But it's been nearly five years. You don't have to feel bad about being with Laurel if that's what you want."

"But—" He sighed and looked down, a picture of Laurel and Oliver, happy, in his mind.

"But nothing, mister. You deserve to be happy; Laurel deserves to be happy. And if being together does that, then that's all that matters. Don't let that happiness slip away because you feel guilty. He's gone, Tommy. As much as I'd love to have him hereto be a part of Marie's life, he's not. And you can't keep living with his ghost." She squeezed the hand clasped in hers tightly.

"He'd be so angry." He whispered.

"And a hypocrite. Marie is proof that he didn't really love Laurel; at least not in the way she deserved. If he did, he would never have been with me or taken Sara with him. Things might have worked out between them if he was still alive, be he's not. You shouldn't feel guilty, Tommy."

"But I do."

"Well, then, don't go after her again. But you need to realize that you have to live your own life. You've already grown so much since I first met you, shadowing your father at the company. And I know it bores you, but you're growing up and becoming your own man instead of just the playboy in the tabloids. You're Marie's uncle and I wouldn't have gotten through the last few years without you. But it's time for you to do what _you_ want, and if that's being with Laurel, then don't let a dead man stop you."

Tommy sighed heavily and slouched down, resting his head against hers, wondering if it could be that simple. Could he really just be with Laurel even though she'd been Oliver's? Did he really deserve that? Or would he be a horrible friend for going after his best friend's ex-girlfriend? He just didn't know anymore.

Felicity patted his arm as she turned to watch Marie, who was making a sandcastle. She wasn't sure about the whole Laurel thing, but she just wanted her friend to be happy, no matter who it was with. They really needed to stop letting Oliver's ghost rule their lives.

/*/

"Moira, are you alright?" Walter asked as he and Felicity entered the family room, Marie in his arms as the 4 year old tried to steal the bowl of popcorn in her mom's hands. Moira was sitting by the phone, her face white and a shocked expression on her face.

"Moira?" Walter asked again in worry, exchanging a look with Felicity before he sat Marie down to approach his wife.

The blonde snagged her daughter before she could interfere, sensing the seriousness of the moment. Setting the bowl down on the coffee table, she put a handful on a paper towel for Marie before she went over to see what was going on.

"Moira? Sweetheart?" The British man squatted down so he could look in her face, his hands settling on her knees, eyes worried. The older woman blinked, as if being pulled back to reality.

"T-they—they f-found him." She mumbled, her voice choking on tears. The normally stoic woman was completely gone; in her place, a trembling mess.

"Found who?"

"O-Oliver." Felicity sucked in a breath at that.

"They…they found his remains?" Walter questioned quietly, not wanting the very smart and curious child to hear them. The girl was really too clever on a good day and he didn't want her to figure out what they were talking about.

"No! He's—he's alive!" Moira said loudly, eyes wide with the reality.

"What?"

"Moira—"

"No. I didn't imagine it. I mean, I've imagined it before, but not like this. The U.S. Embassy in Beijing was on the phone. They say fishermen found him on an island in the North China Sea. He's alive. My son's alive!" Moira said forcibly, standing and forcing Walter to step back.

"Are they sure it's him?" Felicity asked, her heart pounding as her eyes went to where her daughter was happily munching on popcorn.

"Yes." Moira said it so powerfully there was no way to refute her.

"That's…amazing." The blonde murmured, her head buzzing with this news. How could he possibly be alive after all this time?

"It is. I need to speak with Jean about getting his documents in order so he can be flown back. Oliver is coming home." The matriarch said with a bright smile as she grasped onto the elation to focus on, knowing she was too close to breaking for her liking. But it'd been one hell of a shock.

"I'll take you to her immediately." Walter said, taking her hand.

"Yes, thank you. And we need to pick Thea up from Angela's on the way back. She needs to know. There's so much to do." Moira said as they headed out of the room, her mind already whirling through the list of things that needed to be done.

Felicity watched them silently as her world rocked, not sure what to do with herself. She'd thought about what it'd be like to have a fellow parent there for the important moments, but she'd never dreamed of Oliver actually returning. What would this mean for her and Marie? What if he rejected her daughter? Would Moira and Thea turn their backs on them or would they still count them as family despite Oliver?

Not wanting to even think about the possibilities, Felicity joined Marie by the couch and started _Brave_, just wanting to spend some time with her daughter before their worlds were turned upside down. But no matter what happened, Marie would never doubt her mother loved her, even if her father didn't. That she'd be damned sure of.

**AN: Sorry the chapter was short, but it felt right. The next update won't be this quick, sorry. But now the next one will definitely be Oliver's arrival, so yay. Review! Thanks for reading! And sorry for the errors that I missed.**


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